FAMILY 16: YPONOMEUTIDAE (9G(1EX) 24S(1EX))

Suborder:Glossata Infraorder:Heteroneura, Superfamily:Yponomeutoidea

MBGBI3 includes families Ypsolophidae, Plutellidae, Argyresthiidae, Praydidae and Scythropiidae as subfmailies (Ypsolophinae, Plutellinae, Argyresthiinae, Praydinae and Scythropiinae) of Yponomeutidae. MBGBI3 also lists Acrolepiinae a subfamily of Yponomeutidae, it is now considered a subfamily of Glyphipterigidae. The remaining Family: Yponomeutidae is equivalent to Subfamily: Yponomeutinae as considered in MBGBI3.

Abdominal tergites spined; Uncus present, with a pair of prongs; Aedeagus usually with a sheath
Larvae are mostly web-spinners
Yponomeuta (8S)
Identification of Ypnomeuta species
001 Yponomeuta evonymella
​(Bird-cherry Ermine)
002 Yponomeuta padella
(Orchard Ermine)
003 Yponomeuta malinellus
(Apple Ermine)
004 Yponomeuta cagnagella
(Spindle Ermine)
005 Yponomeuta rorrella
(Willow Ermine)
​006 Yponomeuta irrorella
(Scarce Spindle Ermine)

ws19-25mm; Jul-Aug; spindle (Euonymus europaeus); pRDB - rare and local in Kent and Hampshire only
007 Yponomeuta plumbella
(Black-tipped Ermine)
008 Yponomeuta sedella
(Orpine Ermine)
Euhyponomeuta


​009 Euhyponomeuta stannella
(Red-capped Ermine)

​ws 16-20mm; Jun-Jul; orpine (Sedum telphium); Dovedale only
Not recorded since early 1970s - extinct in GB
Zelleria (2S)
Male genitalia: valva simple, transtilla present and connects valvae, vinculum conical
Female genitalia: "with ventral arm of apophysis anterior as though covered with cloth"
010 Zelleria hepariella
(Ash Spinner)
011 Zelleria oleastrella
(Olive Spinner)

​ws12-15mm; Jun; olive (Olea europaea);
all 4 British records from Jun 2006,
​2 from St Marys, 2 from Dorset
Kessleria (2S)
012 Kessleria saxifragae
(Saxifrage Ermine)

ws11-15mm; Jun-Jul; saxifrages (Saxifraga spp); pRDB - locally common by damp mountain streams on limestone in Kintyre and Scottish Highlands
013 Kessleria fasciapennella:
(Parnassus Ermine)

ws15-18mm; Aug-May; grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris); Pentland Hills only; no record since mid C19 - was considered extinct
rediscovered in 2013 in Glencoe
Swammerdamia Group: ​Pseudoswammerdamia (1S)​, Swammerdamia (4S), Paraswammerdamia (2S)
Identification of Swammerdamia Group
014 Pseudoswammerdamia combinella
(Little Buff-tip)
015 Swammerdamia caesiella
(Birch Drab)
016 Swammerdamia passerella
(Dwarf Birch Drab)

ws8.5-11mm; May-Jun; dwarf birch (Betula nana); pRDB - Scottish highlands at 300-700m (Ben Wyvis)
017 Swammerdamia pyrella
(Copper-fringed Drab)
​018 Swammerdamia compunctella
(Rowan Drab)
019 Paraswammerdamia albicapitella
(White-headed Drab)
020 Paraswammerdamia nebulella
(Hawthorn Drab)
Cedestis (2S)
021 Cedestis gysseleniella
(Double-barred Needle-miner)
022 Cedestis subfasciella
​(Barred Needle-miner)
Ocnerostoma (2S)
023 Ocnerostoma pinariella
(Ringed Needle-miner)

ws8-10mm; Jun-Jul; Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris); NS-B in pine woods in England and Scotland (not recorded from Wales)
024 Ocnerostoma friesi
(Plain Needle-miner)
Page published as Subfamily Yponomeutinae 30/01/2012 | Changed to Family Yponomeutidae 09/03/2014