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Plutellidae

Diamond-back Moth

PLUTELLA (Plutella) xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
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Description
Alternative Name: Cabbage Moth
Wingspan: 13-15mm
Worldwide Distribution:  Europe : Asia : Africa : the Americas : Australia : New Zealand : Hawaiian Islands
UK Distribution: An immigrant from the European mainland,this moth can arrive in thousands anywhere in the British Isles.
UK Conservation Status -
  • Migrant
European Conservation Status - 
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena xylostella Linnaeus, 1758
Type Species - Plutella
  • Phalaena xylostella Linnaeus, 1758
Type Locality -
  • Sweden
Flight Period: Found in almost every month of the year but most frequently during the summer months. Two or more broods can be expected in most years, especially under favourable conditions.
Habitat:  Almost anywhere
Similar Species -
  • None
Ovum: The ova are flat and oval and are deposited in depressions in the leaf of the larval food plant
Larva: June-July : August-September-double brooded : Leaf mines in first instar later feeding on the underside of foodplant.
Pupa: Formed in a loose silk cocoon
Overwinters as: In its native habitats overwinters as an adult among cruciferous plants
Observations: As an immigrant form Europe this moth sometimes reaches considerable numbers, becoming pests on farms growing he various types of brassiceae mentioned in the list of larval food plants below.

They are thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region but have now spread worldwide.

Average life span of this moth is three to four weeks for the female and less for the male.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
  • Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
Taxonomy
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Type Species PLUTELLA:

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Literary Ref:

Type Locality:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Yponomeutoidea
Plutellidae
Plutellinae
PLUTELLA Schrank, 1802
Plutella Schrank, 1802
Plutella ( Plutella) xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Phalaena xylostella Linnaeus, 1758
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PHALAENA (tinia) xylostella Linnaeus, 1758
= Plutella maculipennis Curtis, 1832
= Plutella cruciferarum Zeller, 1843
= Plutella brassicella Fitch, 1856
= Plutella limbipennella Clemens, 1860
= Plutella mollipedella Clemens, 1860
= cicerella Rondani, 1876
= galeatella Mabille, 1888
= Plutella dubiosella Beutenmüller, 1889
= Plutela megapterella Bentinck 1934
= dudiosalla Moriuti, 1977
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.538 - n.265
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Sweden