Yponomeutidae Yponomeuta multipunctella American Ermine Moth 10 9 8 n=1 • 7 High Mt. • • 6 N 5 • •• u 4 3 • • m 2 • • • b 1 0 • • e • • r 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 NC counties: 15 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec o 10 f 9 n=15 = Sighting or Collection 8 • 7 Low Mt. High counts of: in NC since 2001 F 6 l 5 500 - Madison - 2019-05-01 4 i 3 10 - Guilford - 2020-06-02 g 2 Status Rank h 1 5 - Guilford - 2019-06-13 0 NC US NC Global t 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 D Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec a 10 10 9 9 t 8 n=23 8 n=0 e 7 Pd 7 CP s 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Three periods to each month: 1-10 / 11-20 / 21-31 FAMILY: Yponomeutidae SUBFAMILY: Yponomeutinae TRIBE: [Yponomeutinae] TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: <i>Y. multipunctella</i> is one of five species of <i>Yponomeuta</i> that occur north of Mexico. Three North American species (<i>Y. euonymella</i>, <i>Y. leucothorax</i>, and <i>Y. semialba</i>) are no longer recognized and are treated as <i>Y. multipunctella</i> (Lewis and Sohn, 2015). A fourth species (<i>Y. atomocella</i>) was transferred to the genus <i>Prays</i>. Four of the five currently recognized North American species of <i>Yponomeuta</i> are introduced, and some have become defoliating pests of apples, cherries and ornamental <i>Euonymus species</i>. FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012) ONLINE PHOTOS: MPG, Bugguide, BAMONA TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Lewis and Sohn (2015); microleps.org TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES: ID COMMENTS: Adults are white with 3-4 rows of black dots. <i>Y. cagnagella</i> is an introduced species that resembles <i> Y. multipunctella,</i> but has fewer black dots, particularly near the middle of the forewing. This species is a pest on ornamental <i>Euonymus</i> species and was first recorded in North America from Ontario in 1967. <i>Y. cagnagella</i> has since spread to the northern US and south to Delaware and Maryland. It could potentially reach North Carolina in the future. DISTRIBUTION: Almost all records are from the Piedmont and Blue Ridge where the host species are most common. FLIGHT COMMENT: Single-brooded, with a peak in June. HABITAT: Populations are restricted to areas that support the host plants, which are <i>Euonymus</i> species (Sperling et al. 1995, Ulenberg 2009). The primary host is the American Strawberry-bush (<i>Euonymus americanus</i>). This species is widespread in mesic to rich forests, but also occurs to a lesser extent in both floodplain forests and drier pine-oak and oak-hickory forests. Two other native <i>Euonymus</i> (<i>E. atropurpureus</i>; <i>E. obovatus</i>) are uncommon and presumably serve as secondary hosts where local populations occur. Several species of<i>Euonymus</i> from Europe and Asia are widely planted as ornamentals in the eastern US, but <i>Y. multipunctella</i> does not use these as host plants. FOOD: American Strawberry-bush (<i>Euonymus americanus,</i>) Eastern Wahoo (<i>E. atropurpureus</i>) and Running Strawberry-bush (<i>E. obovatus</i>). OBSERVATION_METHODS: This species is easily detected by examining <i>Euonymus americanus</i> in early spring for the distinctive communal webs. The adults readily come to black lights. NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: G5 [S4S5] STATE PROTECTION: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands. COMMENTS: The American Ermine Moth is rather common in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge, but populations have undoubtedly been adversely affected by White-Tailed Deer. Deer feed heavily on the primary host plant (<i>E. americanus</i>) and can eliminate or nearly eliminate local populations of the host plant where grazing pressure is high. <i>Yponomeuta cagnagella</i> is an introduced species that specializes on <i>Euonymus</i> and could potentially compete with <i>Y. multipunctella.</i> To date, <i>Y. cagnagella</i> is only known to feed on introduced ornamental <i>Euonymus</i> and has not shifted to native species. March 2021 The Moths of North Carolina - Early Draft 1.