Swammerdamia pyrella
This record describes Swammerdamia pyrella (species). Recorded family: Yponomeutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 10-13 mm. One of several related and rather similar species which can be difficult to separate as adults without reference to the structure of the genitalia. S. pyrella is distinguished from all other Swammerdamia and Pseudoswammerdamia species by the coppery terminal cilia, small size and dark appearance. Well wooded areas containing the larval food plants. Flies in two generations during May and August The larvae feed on Hawthorn, Apple and Pear and like several related species live under a slight web on the upper surface of a leaf. They are quite distinctively marked in yellow and brown. It is a common species throughout most of Britain and Ireland except in the far north. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Swammerdamia pyrella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swammerdamia pyrella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Yponomeutidae (Ermine Moths)
- Subfamily
- Yponomeutinae
- Tribe
- Yponomeutini
- Genus
- Swammerdamia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Well wooded areas containing the larval food plants.
Seasonal Activity
Flies in two generations during May and August
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae feed on Hawthorn, Apple and Pear and like several related species live under a slight web on the upper surface of a leaf. They are quite distinctively marked in yellow and brown.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is a common species throughout most of Britain and Ireland 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 Swammerdamia pyrella. 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 Swammerdamia pyrella (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Swammerdamia pyrella
What is Swammerdamia pyrella?
Swammerdamia pyrella is a species in the family Yponomeutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Swammerdamia pyrella found?
Habitat: Well wooded areas containing the larval food plants.
When is Swammerdamia pyrella active?
Swammerdamia pyrella: seasonal activity - Flies in two generations during May and August.
What is the life cycle of a Swammerdamia pyrella?
The larvae feed on Hawthorn, Apple and Pear and like several related species live under a slight web on the upper surface of a leaf. They are quite distinctively marked in yellow and brown.