Yponomeuta plumbella
This record describes Yponomeuta plumbella (species). Recorded family: Yponomeutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 16 to 20 mm. One of the more easily recognisable Yponomeuta species, with a distinct black spot centrally on the forewing and blackish patch at the wingtip. Varied habitats, especially in areas where Spindle is present. There are two generations, with moths on the wing in April and May, and again in August. It is attracted to light. Spindle is the larval foodplant, the caterpillars mining the leaves initially, later living gregariously in a silken web. The species is distributed in England and Wales, and southern Ireland, but does not occur further north. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local. No additional images available for this species.
Wikipedia reference for Yponomeuta plumbella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yponomeuta plumbella.
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
Varied habitats, especially in areas where Spindle is present.
Seasonal Activity
There are two generations, with moths on the wing in April and May, and again in August. It is attracted to light.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Spindle is the larval foodplant, the caterpillars mining the leaves initially, later living gregariously in a silken web.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The species is distributed in England and Wales, and southern Ireland, but does not occur further north. In the Butterfly Conservation's Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Yponomeuta plumbella. 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 Yponomeuta plumbella (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Yponomeuta plumbella
What is Yponomeuta plumbella?
Yponomeuta plumbella is a species in the family Yponomeutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Yponomeuta plumbella found?
Habitat: Varied habitats, especially in areas where Spindle is present.
When is Yponomeuta plumbella active?
Yponomeuta plumbella: seasonal activity - There are two generations, with moths on the wing in April and May, and again in August. It is attracted to light..
What is the life cycle of a Yponomeuta plumbella?
Spindle is the larval foodplant, the caterpillars mining the leaves initially, later living gregariously in a silken web.