| 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:
Species include:
The word Yponomeutidae comes from the Ancient Greek ὑπό (ypo) meaning under and νομός (nomós) meaning food or dwelling, thus "feeding secretly, or burrow".[1]