Attevidae

Guides

• Atteva

  ermine moths, ailanthus webworms

  Atteva is the sole genus in the family Attevidae, a group of small to medium-sized moths within the superfamily Yponomeutoidea. The genus has a pantropical distribution with approximately 70 described species. Most species occur in tropical regions of the Americas, Asia, and Oceania, though Atteva aurea has expanded into temperate North America following the introduction of its host plant, Ailanthus altissima (Tree of Heaven). Adults are often strikingly patterned in orange, black, and white, and several species are diurnal nectar feeders rather than nocturnal.

  AttevidaeYponomeutoideapantropicaldiurnal-mothsailanthus-webwormbiological-controlTree-of-Heavenweb-forming-caterpillarsorange-and-black-mothsvagabond-speciesSimaroubaceaedefoliators