Tegeticula yuccasella
Tegeticula yucca ella is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of yucca moths ( Prodoxidae ).
Features
The male moths reach a wingspan of 18 to 24 mm, females 19-27 mm. The top of the front wings is white while the bottom is mostly dark brown. The hind wings are gray -brown and at the apex of the darkest.
Dissemination
Tegeticula yucca ella is widespread in North America. The distribution area extends from the southern border of Texas to southern Canada, and from the east coast to the west coast. Through cultivation of Yucca filamentosa the distribution area has increased in the last 150 years.
Way of life
With the highly elongated portion of the lip switch the female collects pollen from yucca flowers. This puts them in the scars, in which it has previously laid their eggs. The Yucca is dependent on the yucca moth as pollinators. The caterpillars eat about half of the seeds of a Yucca plant. To the caterpillar food plants include yucca following ways:
- Yucca filamentosa
- Yucca smalliana
- Yucca flaccida
- Yucca glauca
- Yucca arkansana
- Yucca constricta
- Yucca rupicola
- Yucca pallida
- Yucca reverchonii
- Yucca aloifolia
Pupation takes place in a cocoon in the bottom.