Hantsmoths

Local in orchards throughout much of Britain as far north as the central lowlands of Scotland, but less common than formerly, probably because of the extensive use of insecticides (MBGBI Vol 3). Widespread at low numbers across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, but there can be limited confidence about the accuracy of many records as the adult moth cannot be reliably differentiated from Y. padella as an imago: although Orchard Ermine Y. padella is normally greyish while the present species has a white ground colour to the forewing, but the two species only reliably separated with reference to the larval foodplant. Specimens should be recorded as Yponomeuta padella/malinellus agg., unless it is made clear that they were recorded as an occupied larval web or reared from the relevant larval foodplant. Larva feeds on Apple, living gregariously within a silken web.