description Apple ermine Overview
Apple ermine is the common name for Yponomeuta malinellus, a small moth in the family Yponomeutidae. Its larvae feed mainly on Malus species, including cultivated apple trees, and construct conspicuous silken webs around foliage and feeding sites. The species is treated as a defoliating pest because dense larval colonies can remove much of a tree's leaf area. It was described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1838.
help Apple ermine FAQ
What damage do apple ermine moth caterpillars cause to apple trees?
The larvae of Yponomeuta malinellus feed on the foliage of apple and other Malus species, spinning conspicuous silken webs over leaves and shoots. Heavy infestations can defoliate parts of a tree, though healthy established trees usually recover.
How do I control apple ermine moth on my apple tree?
Prune out and destroy the webbed shoots while larvae are still feeding inside them, and remove the black, lacquered egg masses from bark during winter pruning. Biological insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are effective against young larvae.
Is the apple ermine moth an invasive species in North America?
It is native to Europe and Asia and later became established in North America, where it turned up in apple-growing regions of the Pacific Northwest. Classical biocontrol programmes there have used parasitoid wasps such as Ageniaspis fuscicollis against it.
How do I tell apple ermine moth apart from tent caterpillars?
Eastern tent caterpillars build dense tents in branch crotches in spring and have hairy, colorful larvae, while apple ermine larvae spin fine, sheet-like silk directly over the leaves they are eating. The adult apple ermine is a small white moth with black spots, typical of the Yponomeutidae family.
explore Explore More
Reviews & Comments
Write a Review
Be the first to review
Share your thoughts with the community and help others make better decisions.
