Spindle Ermine
Yponomeuta cagnagella
This record describes Yponomeuta cagnagella (species). Recorded family: Yponomeutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This is one of four Ermine moth species, namely Orchard Ermine (Yponomeuta padella), Apple Ermine (Yponomeuta malinellus), Spindle Ermine (Yponomeuta cagnagella) and Willow Ermine ( Yponomeuta rorrella ) which should now be recorded as Yponomeuta agg. , unless it is made clear that they were recorded as an occupied larval web or reared from the relevant larval foodplant. Adults cannot be reliably identified unless raised from a larval web on the relevant foodplant. Other similar Yponomeuta species also use Spindle, so if recording smaller webs the larval differences between cagnagella/plumbella/irrorella need to be checked (see 'Further Information' links below). The food plant is Spindle the larvae feeding gregariously in a silken web. Fairly common throughout Britain except in the far north. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common. Yponomeuta irrorella - LepiWiki (in German) Yponomeuta plumbella Larva comparison with Y. cagnagella | UKmoths
Wikipedia reference for Yponomeuta cagnagella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yponomeuta cagnagella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Yponomeutidae (Ermine Moths)
- Subfamily
- Yponomeutinae
- Tribe
- Yponomeutini
- Genus
- Yponomeuta (Small Ermine Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Prefers chalk or limestone districts.
Seasonal Activity
July and August
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The food plant is Spindle the larvae feeding gregariously in a silken web.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Fairly common throughout Britain except in the far north. 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 Yponomeuta cagnagella. 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 Spindle Ermine (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Spindle Ermine
What is Spindle Ermine?
Spindle Ermine (Yponomeuta cagnagella) is a species in the family Yponomeutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Spindle Ermine found?
Habitat: Prefers chalk or limestone districts.
When is Spindle Ermine active?
Spindle Ermine: seasonal activity - July and August.
What is the life cycle of a Spindle Ermine?
The food plant is Spindle the larvae feeding gregariously in a silken web.