Merrifieldia leucodactyla

Merrifieldia leucodactyla, also known as the thyme plume, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae, and is known from most of Europe, as well as North Africa and Asia Minor. It was first described by the Austrian lepidopterists, Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775).

Merrifieldia leucodactyla
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Pterophoridae
Genus:	Merrifieldia
Species:	M. leucodactyla
Binomial name
Merrifieldia leucodactyla (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Synonyms[1]
List Merrifieldia leucodactylus Alucita leucodactyla Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Alucita leucodactyla Hübner, [1805] Alucita theiodactyla Hübner, [1825] Alucita niveidactylus Stephens, 1834 Aciptilia wernickei Wocke, 1897 Alucita fitzi Rebel, 1912 Alucita dryogramma Meyrick, 1930

Description

Thyme plumes 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). A close relative, the western thyme plume (Merrifieldia tridactyla) also feeds on thyme and antennae should be checked to confirm identification.^[2][3]

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 the leaves and developing seeds on wild thyme (Thymus serphyllum), wild lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) and marjoram (Origanum vulgare). They start to feed in late-July or August, and after overwintering they pupate in the following June or July.^[4]