Pempelia genistella

Pempelia genistella, the gorse colonial hard shoot moth, is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is native to south-western Europe and north-western Africa, but has been introduced as a biological control agent for gorse in New Zealand and Hawaii.

Pempelia genistella
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pyralidae
Genus: Pempelia
Species:
P. genistella
Binomial name
Pempelia genistella
(Duponchel, 1836)[1]
Synonyms
  • Phycis genistella Duponchel, 1836
  • Nephopterix genistella

The wingspan is 26–29 mm. Adults are on wing in July in western Europe.

Fig. 2 larva after final moult

The larvae feed on the needles of Ulex europaeus in which they spin a dense, conspicuous silken communal web.

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pempelia genistella.
  1. "World Pyraloidea Database". Globiz.pyraloidea.org. Retrieved 2012-03-05.


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