Merrifieldia leucodactyla
Encyclopedia
Merrifieldia leucodactyla is a moth
of the Pterophoridae family. It is known from most of Europe
, as well as North Africa
and Asia Minor
.
Merrifieldia leucodactyla are identified by their distinctive checkered pattern on the antennas, and a finite fuzzy brown line along the entire of the straw yellow forewing.The wingspan
is 18-25 mm.
The larvae are green with a white-edged dark green dorsal line. There is a dark green subdorsal line, and yellowish grey spiracular line. The head is yellowish green. The larvae feed on wild thymus
(Thymus serphyllum), wilde lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis
) and wild Majolijin (Origanum vulgare).
In late July or August the larva start to feed, and after overwintering they pupulate in the following June or July.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Pterophoridae family. It is known from most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, as well as North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
.
Merrifieldia leucodactyla are identified by their distinctive checkered pattern on the antennas, and a finite fuzzy brown line along the entire of the straw yellow forewing.The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 18-25 mm.
The larvae are green with a white-edged dark green dorsal line. There is a dark green subdorsal line, and yellowish grey spiracular line. The head is yellowish green. The larvae feed on wild thymus
Thymus
The thymus is a specialized organ of the immune system. The thymus produces and "educates" T-lymphocytes , which are critical cells of the adaptive immune system....
(Thymus serphyllum), wilde lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis
Pulmonaria officinalis
Pulmonaria officinalis, common name Lungwort or Common Lungwort, is an herbaceous evergreen perennial rhizomatous plant of the genus Pulmonaria, belonging to the family Boraginaceae-Etymology:...
) and wild Majolijin (Origanum vulgare).
In late July or August the larva start to feed, and after overwintering they pupulate in the following June or July.