Gillmeria pallidactyla

Gillmeria pallidactyla is a moth of the family Pterophoridae first first described by the English entomologist, Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1811. It has a Holarctic distribution and is widespread throughout North America and Eurasia.

Gillmeria pallidactyla
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pterophoridae
Genus:	Gillmeria
Species:	G. pallidactyla
Binomial name
Gillmeria pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811)
Synonyms
List Alucita pallidactyla Haworth, 1811 Platyptilia pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811) Pterophorus migadactylus Curtis, 1827 Alucita ochrodactyla Treitschke, 1833 Pterophorus marginidactylus Fitch, 1854 Pterophorus nebulaedactylus Fitch, 1854 Platyptilus bertrami Rössler, 1864 Platyptilus bischoffi Zeller, 1867 Pterophorus cervinidactylus Packard, 1873 Platyptilus adustus Walsingham, 1880 Platyptilia sachalinensis Matsumura, 1911 Platyptilia pallidiola Matsumura, 1931 Platyptilia chapmani Tutt, 1896

Description

The wingspan is 23–27 millimetres (0.91–1.06 in).[1] Adults are on wing from June to July in Europe and from June to August in northern North America. They hide amongst low foliage during the day. They become active from dusk onwards.[2][3] This species is superficially similar to Gillmeria ochrodactyla which has brown and white bands on its hindlegs below the middle spurs, whereas the legs of G pallidactyla are not banded.[2][4]

The larvae bore into the stem in the autumn and overwinter in the roots. In the spring they feed on a succession of shoots causing them to wilt.[5] They mainly feed on Achillea species including sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium), but rarely also on tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) and Tanacetum corymbosum.[6]

References

1. Tony-2 (June 15, 2006). "Species Gillmeria pallidactyla - Hodges#6107". BugGuide.Net. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
2. Kimber, Ian. "Gillmeria pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811)". UKmoths. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
3. Macaulay, D. A.; Anweiler, G. G. & Robinson, E. "Species Details Gillmeria pallidactyla". University of Alberta Museums. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
4. Kimber, Ian. "Gillmeria ochrodactyla ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)". UKmoths. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
5. Stirling, Phil; Parsons, Mark; Lewington, Richard (2012). Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Gillingham, Dorset: British Wildlife. p. 190. ISBN 978 0 9564902 1 6.
6. Ellis, W N. "Gillmeria pallidactyla (Haworth, 1811) yarrow plume". Plant Parasites of Europe. Retrieved 11 June 2020.

External links

• "460012.00 – 6107 – Gillmeria pallidactyla – (Haworth, 1811)". North American Moth Photographers Group. Mississippi State University. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
• Gielis, C. (2006). "Review of the Neotropical species of the family Pterophoridae, part I: Ochyroticinae, Deuterocopinae, Pterophorinae (Platyptiliini, Exelastini, Oxyptilini) (Lepidoptera)". Zoologische Mededelingen. 80–2 (1).