Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Diamond-back Moth
18.0010 (B&F: 464)
Synonym(s):
Plutella maculipennis (Curtis, 1832)
Plutella cruciferarum Zeller, 1843
»Suborder: Glossata
»Superfamily: Yponomeutoidea
»Family: Plutellidae
»Subfamily: Ochsenheimeriinae
»Tribe: Phalacropterygini
A resident and immigrant species, often fairly common, sometimes common and occasionally very common, but distinctly episodic in high numbers - both annually and from night to night. Habitually less numerous well inland but generally distributed during an advantageous year. Broods vary between one and three depending on the prevailing weather with adults commonplace at any time between late May and early September, and occasionally in late October. Larvae feed on turnips, cabbages and allied plants including sea kale. Also associated with marsh yellow-cress. (Pratt, 2011)
