The adults have a wingspan of 60-80 mm and and both front and rear wings are the same colour. They fly in June and July, usually around the foodplant trees, and the females are larger and fatter than the males. It is found throughout the UK, but is more common in the south, in Europe and eastwards as far as central Asia.
|
Cossidae
There are just three species of Cossidae in the British Isles. As adults the Cossidae do not have functional proboscids.
Cossus cossus, the Goat moth (left)
The eggs are brown, and laid on the bark of ash, elm, willow, oak and poplar.
The caterpillar feeds on the inside of the trees. It takes three or more years of feeding on this low-quality food before it can pupate.
During the cold winter months it makes a kind of nest for itself and rests out the winter. When fully grown it can be up to 100 mm long. It gets its name from the rather unpleasant smell the caterpillars have.
It exits the tree to pupate in the ground making a hole as large as 20 mm in diameter. |
Geometridae - inch worms, loopers
There are over 300 British species. Most adult geometrids rest with their wings spread flat - see right and below - on each side of the body. The have a thin body and broad wings. The caterpillars have only 2 pairs of prolegs (see below), and their locomotion gives them the common names of inch worm, and looper, and many of them can mimic twigs when disturbed.
Brimstone moth, Opisthograptis luteolata
The brimstone (right) is common throughout Europe. They are found in hardwood forests. The caterpillar resembles a twig, and has an extra pair of prolegs, though these are smaller that the other 2 pairs. Its foodplants are hawthorn, blackthorn and apple. It can reach a length of 33 mm. Pupation is in a silken cocoon on or near the ground. Adults fly from April to August, and have a wingspan of 32 - 40 mm. Eggs are laid in spring and all summer. There are 2 generations a year. |
 |
 |
Silver-ground carpet moth, Xanthorhoe montanata
The Silver-ground carpet (right) is common in the U. K. The caterpillars feed on low-growing plants such as bedstraw. The adults fly from May to July. The wingspan is 24-28 mm, and the band of colour across the wings can vary in brightness. |
Common white wave, Cabera pusaria
On the right is an adult Common white wave. The adults fly from May - August, and are fairly common in birch and alder woods. They have a wingspan of 25 - 30 mm. The wings are shiny white with 3 rows of dotted lines on the fore wings, and 2 rows on the hind wings. The caterpillars eat birch and a variety of shrubs. There are 2 generations a year, and it overwinters as a pupa. |
 |
 |
Eulithis populata, the Northern spinach
The Northern spinach at rest on the right and showing the underside of the wing on the right. It is widespread throughout Europe, but less common in southern England. It is found in mountains, heaths, bogs and fens. In the U. K. there is one generation a year.
Egg are laid in August, but do not hatch out until the following April.
The caterpillar foodplant is bilberry, cowberry, grey sallow, goat willow and other willows. The caterpillar feeds at night, resting on the foodplant by day with its body rigid, so it is not easy to see. Body length is up to 26 mm.
It pupates towards the end of May in leaves of the foodplant which it has sun together.
The adults fly from June - August. The wingspan is 28 - 31 mm. It overwinters as an egg.
|
 |
Odezia atrata, the Chimney sweeper moth
Caterpillar. The caterpillar feeds on pignut flowers.
Adults. The Chimney sweeper is completely black except for the white edges to the wings. This is difficult to see in sunny weather, so I brought this on inside to photograph it. This is a small, day-flying moth with a have a wingspan of 23 - 27 mm. It flies in sunny weather in grassy areas in June and July. |
 |
Venusia cambrica, the Welsh wave
The Welsh wave tends to occur in the upland regions of Northern Europe, and in the U. K. in the north and west.
Eggs are laid in July.
The caterpillar grows up to 21 mm long, and has a yellow-green body with a faint yellow line down its back, and irregular blotches of red/brown. The head is green. The foodplant is rowan. The caterpillar feeds until it pupates at the end of August. It pupates in the soil.
The adult moth does not emerge until June the following year. Adult wingspan is 27 - 30 mm. It flies in June and July. |
 |
|
|
![[]](http://m3.moostik.net/img/?pseudo=bumblebeepages&cpt=ILepidoptera1&option=invisible)