About Metendothenia atropunctana (Zetterstedt, 1839)
Metendothenia atropunctana is a species of moth in the family Tortricidae. It was first described by Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt in 1839, and is native to the Palearctic region and Northern America. This moth has a wingspan of 14 to 17 mm. It was previously classified in the genus Hedya, and like other species in that genus, it resembles a bird dropping when at rest, which provides it with effective protection. Its thorax bears an upright tuft of black hairs. The forewings are patterned in black-brown, with silver grey colouring on the inner section, a square white spot along the costal edge, and white colouring at the wing tip. Freshly emerged individuals have a distinct pink tinge on the forewings, which fades over time. The hindwings are brown. Larvae of this species develop on the shoots of Myrica gale, Betula, and Salix species. The larvae spin leaves together into a pod-like structure. The pupa of the second generation overwinters inside a cocoon in leaf litter. Adult moths fly in two generations: the first from May to June, and the second from mid-July to late August.
