Zelleria hepariella
This record describes Zelleria hepariella (species). Recorded family: Yponomeutidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan around 12 mm. The combination of the rufous or chestnut forewing colour and the 'nose-down' Argyresthia-like resting posture make this species quite distinctive. There is one generation, the adults emerging in July or August and overwintering, usually in thick cover, reappearing again in the early spring. The larva feeds on Ash sometimes gregariously, in spun leaves. A widespread but locally distributed species throughout much of Britain. In the Butterfly Conservation’s Microlepidoptera Report 2011 this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Zelleria hepariella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelleria hepariella.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Yponomeutoidea
- Family
- Yponomeutidae (Ermine Moths)
- Subfamily
- Yponomeutinae
- Tribe
- Yponomeutini
- Genus
- Zelleria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Around Ash.
Seasonal Activity
There is one generation, the adults emerging in July or August and overwintering, usually in thick cover, reappearing again in the early spring.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larva feeds on Ash sometimes gregariously, in spun leaves.
Additional species information
Recorded status
A widespread but locally distributed species throughout much of Britain. 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 Zelleria hepariella. 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 Zelleria hepariella (5)
Frequently Asked Questions About Zelleria hepariella
What is Zelleria hepariella?
Zelleria hepariella is a species in the family Yponomeutidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Zelleria hepariella found?
Habitat: Around Ash.
When is Zelleria hepariella active?
Zelleria hepariella: seasonal activity - There is one generation, the adults emerging in July or August and overwintering, usually in thick cover, reappearing again in the early spring..
What is the life cycle of a Zelleria hepariella?
The larva feeds on Ash sometimes gregariously, in spun leaves.