Bird-cherry Ermine
Bird cherry - Gespinstmotte ( Yponomeuta evonymella )
The bird cherry - Gespinstmotte ( Yponomeuta evonymella ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of web - and bud moth ( Yponomeutidae ).
Features
The moths have a wingspan of 16-25 millimeters. The front wings are silvery white and have five longitudinal rows of fine black dots on. The smoke- brown hind wings have a dark hem and are wider and shorter than the forewing. The fine and thread-like probe to reach two-thirds of the wing length. When the animals rest, they are easily rolled closely applied to the body so that the moth almost looks like a tube. In the lightest fault the butterflies bounce away and can be sent falling to the ground.
Habitat
One finds this sort in almost all of Europe from the river valleys to the deciduous forest border in lowland forests on stream banks with bushes and trees, and in gardens and parks. The frequency varies with the years, but mass developments leading to defoliation of forage plants, are not rare.
Way of life
The moth is found from early July to mid-August. After mating, the to weeks is only a few days after hatching, the females lay their eggs on the winter buds of black cherry. The young caterpillars overwinter under bud scales and become active in the spring with their expulsion. They eat until late May or early June and then pupate in cocoons densely packed community on the trunk or the herb layer underneath.
The larvae feed almost exclusively by the ordinary black cherry ( Prunus padus ). Very rarely will you find the caterpillars also cherry and alder. This species is a food specialist. Only the spring shoots eaten, this is possible because there is no second generation in the year.