Plutella porrectella
This record describes Plutella porrectella (species). Recorded family: Plutellidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 14 to 17 mm. This close relative of the familiar Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) is slightly larger and more striated in appearance. The antennae have three darkish rings toward the tip. It flies during May and again in July to August. It is nocturnal and is attracted to light, and can be easily disturbed from the foodplant by day. The larval foodplant is Dame's-violet. The larvae feed in April-May and June-July, distorting or connecting the leaves with a small amount of silk. It pupates in a distinctive white silk cocoon with a large open mesh, on the underside of a leaf. It is fairly common in Britain in the vicinity of the foodplant. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Plutella porrectella: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutella_porrectella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Plutellidae (Diamondback Moths)
- Genus
- Plutella
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Around Dames-violet
Seasonal Activity
It flies during May and again in July to August. It is nocturnal and is attracted to light, and can be easily disturbed from the foodplant by day.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplant is Dame's-violet. The larvae feed in April-May and June-July, distorting or connecting the leaves with a small amount of silk. It pupates in a distinctive white silk cocoon with a large open mesh, on the underside of a leaf.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is fairly common in Britain in the vicinity of the foodplant. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Plutella porrectella. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Plutella porrectella (8)
Frequently Asked Questions About Plutella porrectella
What is Plutella porrectella?
Plutella porrectella is a species in the family Plutellidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Plutella porrectella found?
Habitat: Around Dames-violet
When is Plutella porrectella active?
Plutella porrectella: seasonal activity - It flies during May and again in July to August. It is nocturnal and is attracted to light, and can be easily disturbed from the foodplant by day..
What is the life cycle of a Plutella porrectella?
The larval foodplant is Dame's-violet. The larvae feed in April-May and June-July, distorting or connecting the leaves with a small amount of silk. It pupates in a distinctive white silk cocoon with a large open mesh, on the underside of a leaf.