Dressed like a tiny Dalmatian, the apple ermine moth (Yponomeuta malinellus) is a striking little insect with a snowy-white coat. Measuring just 16 to 20 millimeters across its wingspan, its pure white forewings are decorated with 12 to 16 neat black dots arranged in precise rows. Behind its elegant appearance lies a mischievous reputation! Females lay clusters of eggs on apple tree bark that change color like tiny traffic lights—turning from light yellow to bright red before fading into camouflage gray. When spring arrives, the tiny caterpillars secretly tunnel inside apple leaves before coming out to build massive communal silken tents. Working together, hundreds of caterpillars feed inside these protective webs, occasionally stripping a tree bare until it pushes out a fresh set of leaves later in summer. When it’s time to transform into adults, they pack their white cocoons together side-by-side in neat, cozy rows. I met this handsome but mischievous little moth just a few blocks from my home in Barkarby, Sweden, resting quietly away from its famous silken web!