Kingdom Animalia Family Pterophoridae Scientific name Merrifieldia leucodactyla Rank Species | Class Insecta Genus Merrifieldia Phylum Arthropoda Order Butterflies and moths | |
Similar Butterflies and moths, Stenoptilia zophodactylus, Amblyptilia punctidactyla, Adaina microdactyla, Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla | ||
Merrifieldia leucodactyla is a moth of the Pterophoridae family. It is known from most of Europe, as well as North Africa and Asia Minor.
Merrifieldia leucodactyla are identified by their distinctive checkered pattern on the antennas, and a finite fuzzy brown line along the entire straw-yellow forewing. The wingspan is 18–25 millimetres (0.71–0.98 in).
The larvae are green with a white-edged dark green dorsal line. There is a dark green subdorsal line, and yellowish grey spiracular line. The head is yellowish green. The larvae feed on wild thymus (Thymus serphyllum), wilde lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) and wild Majolijin (Origanum vulgare).
In late July or August, the larvae start to feed, and after overwintering they pupulate in the following June or July.