Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) | Species | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Male. Taken at Farmoor, Oxon., on December 9th 2020. (© David Hastings) (1/121st sec at f1.8) DescriptionFamily: Geometridae (ABH : 70.106) Wing span: 26 - 32mm The male Winter Moth is a drab light to dark brown, with a darker central forewing band. The female is flightless, and only has rudimentary black-banded grey wings. It is common and well distributed throughout the British Isles. It is found in most habitats, except at high altitude. There is one generation, from October to January. It over-winters as an egg. Larvae feed on many broad-leaved trees and shrubs, including oaks, birches, sallows, hawthorns, Blackthorn, Hazel and Sycamore. It is well known as a pest of apples in commercial orchards, where the larvae damage the young fruitlets. It comes to light, and is often attracted to lighted windows. Earliest UK sighting: 14th November ; Latest UK sighting: 15th December Sightings
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