| Orchard Ermine (Yponomeuta padella (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Yponomeuta padella (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Orchard Ermine French name: Hyponomeute du cerisier Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Microlepidoptera Family: Yponomeutidae Subfamily: Yponomeutinae Wingspan: 19-22 mm Biotope: Hedgerows, parks, gardens, orchards, bushy places. Geographic area: Europe, Asia except extreme south. North Africa and North America. Flight time: July-August. Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Caterpillars lives gregariously in a silken web covering the branches of the host plant. Host plant: Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), Hawthorn (Crataegus) and Cherry (Prunus spp). |
The Orchard Ermine is a small moth with pure white forewings covered with small black spots. The hindwings are greyish and fringed. This is a pest to fruit trees. The proliferation of caterpillars are sometimes spaced by several years. There are also other species of Yponomeutidae, the identification is difficult. One of the best way to identify the species is the host plant where the caterpillars feed. |
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My attention was first attracted by the silken web covering the branches. Strangely, birds do not seem to be interested to feed on these caterpillars. |
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The identification is not 100% sure. This may be another yponomeutidae species (Apple Ermine -Yponomeuta malinellus; Yponomeuta plumbella; …) |
André Bon February 2008