Atteva Aurea
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The ailanthus webworm (''Atteva aurea'') is an ermine moth now found commonly in the United States. It was formerly known under the scientific name ''Atteva punctella'' (see Taxonomy section). This small, very colorful moth resembles a true bug or beetle when not in flight, but in flight it resembles a wasp.


Host plants

The ailanthus webworm is thought to be native to
South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...
and the American tropics (south to
Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
), which were the habitat of its original larval host plants: the paradise tree (''
Simarouba glauca ''Simarouba glauca'' is a Flowering plant, flowering tree that is native to Florida, South America, and the Caribbean. Common names include paradise-tree, dysentery-bark, and bitterwood. The tree is well suited for warm, humid, tropical regions. ...
'') and ''
Simarouba amara ''Simarouba amara'' is a species of tree in the family Simaroubaceae, found in the rainforests and savannahs of South America, South and Central America and the Caribbean. It was first species description, described by Jean Baptiste Christophore ...
''. Another tree called tree-of-heaven, (''
Ailanthus altissima ''Ailanthus altissima'' ( ), commonly known as tree of heaven or ailanthus tree, is a deciduous tree in the quassia family. It is native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan. Unlike other members of the genus ''Ailanthus'', it is found ...
''), originally from China, has been widely introduced into landscapes and invaded into natural areas where ''Atteva aurea'' has been able to adapt to this new host plant, giving rise to its
common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often con ...
. ''Ailanthus altissima'' is considered an
invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...
, although it is still sold by nurseries as a yard plant, mainly because it is one of the few species that will grow in highly
polluted Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harm. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the component ...
or otherwise difficult places. ''Atteva aurea'' can be a minor pest in nurseries, although it rarely does serious damage.


Climate

This tropical moth is commonly seen in summer throughout the continental US, and occasionally eastern
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
(its northern limit is eastern
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
and south-western
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
beyond the host range). This species appears to be either adapting to colder areas, or staying further north due to changing climates.


Life cycle

Larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e produce
nest A nest is a structure built for certain animals to hold Egg (biology), eggs or young. Although nests are most closely associated with birds, members of all classes of vertebrates and some invertebrates construct nests. They may be composed of ...
s on the
host plant In biology and medicine, a host is a larger organism that harbours a smaller organism; whether a parasitic, a mutualistic, or a commensalist ''guest'' (symbiont). The guest is typically provided with nourishment and shelter. Examples include a ...
by pulling two or more leaflets around a network of loose webbing. Then they consume the leaflets and bark. The
caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder ...
s have a wide, light greenish-brown stripe down their backs and several thin, alternating white and olive-green stripes along their sides. The range of colors is from light brown to dark black. The adult
moth Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...
visits
flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
s, is diurnal, and is a
pollinator A pollinator is an animal that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female carpel, stigma of a flower. This helps to bring about fertilization of the ovules in the flower by the male gametes from the pollen grains. Insects are ...
. The life cycle from egg to egg can happen in four weeks. Due to this being a species from warmer areas, it lacks a diapause stage. Larvae can be found from mid-spring to a hard freeze. There may be many generations each summer with eggs being laid on the webs of other larvae. This can result in a communal web that has multiple generations - from eggs to various larva stages to pupae. Mating happens in the mornings with egg-laying apparently happening in the evening. Eggs are found individually, not in clusters, even though each web may contain many separate eggs.


Taxonomy

Image:Atteva edithella.JPG, ''Atteva edithella'', now considered a synonym of ''Atteva aurea'' Image:Atteva exquisita.JPG, ''Atteva exquisita'', now considered a synonym of ''Atteva aurea'' Image:Atteva ergatica.JPG, ''Atteva ergatica'', now considered a synonym of ''Atteva aurea'' Image:Atteva microsticta.JPG, ''Atteva microsticta'', now considered a synonym of ''Atteva aurea'' Wilson et al. (2010) discovered that morphologically similar Attevid moths were assigned two different names, ''Atteva ergatica'' in Costa Rica and ''Atteva punctella'' in North America, but had identical DNA barcodes.


References

{{Authority control Moths of North America Insect pests of tropical forests Attevidae Moths described in 1856 Taxa named by Asa Fitch