Patania ruralis, the mother of pearl moth, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763. It is found in Europe.

Patania ruralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Crambidae
Genus:	Patania
Species:	P. ruralis
Binomial name
Patania ruralis (Scopoli, 1763)
Synonyms
Phalaena ruralis Scopoli, 1763 Syllepta ruralis Pleuroptya ruralis Pleuroptya conchalis Werneburg, 1864 Pleuroptya ruralis dubia (Hampson, 1891) Pleuroptya ruralis flavescens (Rebel, 1916) Pleuroptya iridialis Hübner, 1825

The wingspan is 26–40 millimetres (1.0–1.6 in). The forewings are pale whitish-ochreous, yellowish-tinged; a grey subcostal suffusion and connected orbicular dot; lines rather dark grey, first straight, second serrate, curved, strongly broken inwards beneath middle; a dark grey discal mark, nearly followed by a grey blotch; a grey terminal band, edge parallel to second line. Hindwings with colour, discal mark, and posterior markings as in forewings. The larva is whitish green, sides greener; dorsal line darker; head green.[1]

The moth flies from June to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on stinging nettle and are notable for their rolling locomotion. Scientists used the rolling behavior of the caterpillar as a model to create next-generation robots that roll.[2]

References

External links

• Media related to Patania ruralis at Wikimedia Commons
• Mother of pearl at UKMoths
• Pleuroptya ruralis at Lepidoptera of Belgium
• Lepiforum.de