Cherry Ermine vs European polecat

Yponomeuta padella compared with Mustela putorius

Key Differences

• Cherry Ermine is Least Concern while European polecat is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cherry Ermine	European polecat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Yponomeutidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Yponomeuta	Mustela
Species	Yponomeuta padella	Mustela putorius

Evolutionary Relationship

Cherry Ermine and European polecat share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Cherry Ermine

LC — Least Concern

European polecat

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cherry Ermine	European polecat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cherry Ermine

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

European polecat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (10 countries) and South America (Brazil, Colombia). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cherry Ermine

The Cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta padella) is a species in the genus Yponomeuta. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

European polecat

European polecat (Mustela putorius) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden