Merrifieldia leucodactyla

Merrifieldia leucodactyla is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is known from most of Europe, as well as North Africa and Asia Minor.

Merrifieldia leucodactyla
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pterophoridae
Genus: Merrifieldia
Species:
M. leucodactyla
Binomial name
Merrifieldia leucodactyla
Synonyms
  • Merrifieldia leucodactylus
  • Alucita leucodactyla Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775
  • Alucita leucodactyla Hübner, [1805]
  • Alucita theiodactyla Hübner, [1825]
  • Alucita niveidactylus Stephens, 1834
  • Aciptilia wernickei Wocke, 1897
  • Alucita fitzi Rebel, 1912
  • Alucita dryogramma Meyrick, 1930

Merrifieldia leucodactyla are identified by their distinctive checkered pattern on the antennas, and a finite fuzzy brown line along the entire straw-yellow forewing. The wingspan is 18–25 millimetres (0.71–0.98 in).

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 larvae start to feed, and after overwintering they populate in the following June or July.[1]

References
  1. UK Moths (1775). "1510 Merrifieldia leucodactyla". Archived from microlepidoptera.nl the original Check |url= value (help) on 2011-02-12.


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