Pseudoswammerdamia combinella
This record describes Pseudoswammerdamia combinella (species). Recorded family: Yponomeutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 13 to 16 mm. One of the larger species in its group. The dark-bordered orange spot at the end of the forewing is diagnostic. Around Blackthorn, the larval foodplant. Flying in May and June, the adults are sometimes attracted to light. Blackthorn is the foodplant, the small larvae leaf-mining at first and then later living externally in a silken web. Distributed throughout most of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. No additional images available for this species.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Yponomeutidae
- Genus
- Pseudoswammerdamia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Around Blackthorn, the larval foodplant.
Seasonal Activity
Flying in May and June, the adults are sometimes attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Blackthorn is the foodplant, the small larvae leaf-mining at first and then later living externally in a silken web.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed throughout most of Britain. 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 Pseudoswammerdamia combinella. 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 Pseudoswammerdamia combinella (3)
Frequently Asked Questions About Pseudoswammerdamia combinella
What is Pseudoswammerdamia combinella?
Pseudoswammerdamia combinella is a species in the family Yponomeutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Pseudoswammerdamia combinella found?
Habitat: Around Blackthorn, the larval foodplant.
When is Pseudoswammerdamia combinella active?
Pseudoswammerdamia combinella: seasonal activity - Flying in May and June, the adults are sometimes attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Pseudoswammerdamia combinella?
Blackthorn is the foodplant, the small larvae leaf-mining at first and then later living externally in a silken web.