Vitula edmandsii
| Vitula edmandsii | |
|---|---|
|   | |
| Vitula edmandsii serratilineella | |
|   | |
| Vitula edmandsii serratilineella | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Arthropoda | 
| Class: | Insecta | 
| Order: | Lepidoptera | 
| Family: | Pyralidae | 
| Genus: | Vitula[1] | 
| Species: | V. edmandsii | 
| Binomial name | |
|  Vitula edmandsii (Packard, 1865)  | |
| Synonyms | |
  | |
Vitula edmandsii, the American wax moth, dried-fruit moth or dried fruit moth, is a species of snout moth in the genus Vitula. It was described by Packard in 1865. It is found in Germany, Denmark and Fennoscandia,[2] as well Great Britain[3] and eastern North America. The beehive honey moth (ssp. serratilineella), which is found in western North America, is either treated as a full species or as a subspecies of Vitula edmandsii.[4]
The wingspan is 20–25 mm.[5] Adults have a distinctive blue-grey ground colour, with a slight rosy suffusion with blackish markings.
The larvae of subspecies serratilineella are a pest of stored raisins, prunes, dried apple and other dried fruit product. Larvae of ssp. edmandsii invade beehives but are not known to be a true pest of stored-products. The species overwinters in the larval stage.[6]
Subspecies
- Vitula edmandsii edmandsii -dried fruit moth (Europe, eastern North America)
 - Vitula edmandsii serratilineella (Ragonot, 1887) -beehive honey moth (British Columbia, Washington, Utah, California, Arizona, Texas)
 
Gallery
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Vitula edmandsii serratilineella
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Illustration of adult of Vitula edmandsii edmandsii
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Illustration of larva of Vitula edmandsii edmandsii
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Illustration of pupa of Vitula edmandsii edmandsii
 
References
- ↑ "World Pyraloidea Database". Globiz.pyraloidea.org. Retrieved 2011-09-29.
 - ↑ Fauna Europaea
 - ↑ Hants Moths
 - ↑ Vitula edmandsii serratilineella at mothphotographersgroup
 - ↑ UKmoths
 - ↑ Bug Guide