Ermine moth

Certain members of the unrelated snout moths (Pyralidae) are also known as "ermine moths".

Ermine moth
Yponomeuta evonymella
Communal larval web
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Suborder:	Ditrysia
Superfamily:	Yponomeutoidea
Family:	Yponomeutidae Stephens, 1829
Diversity
600 species

The family Yponomeutidae are known as the ermine moths, with several hundred species, most of them in the tropics. The larvae tend to form communal webs, and some are minor pests in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture. Some of the adults are very attractive. Adult moths are minor pollinators.

There are five or six subfamilies. Some authors also include the closely related Plutellidae as yet another subfamily:

• Argyresthiinae
• Attevinae
• Praydinae
• Saridoscelinae
• Scythropiinae (sometimes in Yponomeutinae)
• Yponomeutinae

Species include:

• Ailanthus webworm, Atteva aurea
• Spindle Ermine, Yponomeuta cagnagellus.
• Bird-cherry Ermine, Yponomeuta evonymellus.
• Orchard Ermine, Yponomeuta padellus.
• Yponomeuta plumbella.
• Apple Ermine Yponomeuta malinellus

Etymology

The word Yponomeutidae comes from the Ancient Greek ὑπό (ypo) meaning under and νομός (nomós) meaning food or dwelling, thus "feeding secretly, or burrow".

External links

• An invasion of caterpillars has city covered in webs, 25 May 2009, Dutch Daily News.
• Alien invasions, horror stories, or just the Ermine moth?, 17 June 2010, Natural History Museum.
• Caterpillars infesting trees in Lewes, 13 May 2011, Sussex Express.
• Ermine moth larvae infest Bradford park, 19 May 2011, BBC News Online.
• Web of intrigue on Jesus Green trees, 19 May 2011, Cambridge Evening News.
• Media related to Yponomeutidae at Wikimedia Commons