Drinker (Euthrix potatoria) | Species | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Male. Taken at Aston, Oxon., on July 9th 2022. (© David Hastings) (1/400th sec at f11) Larva. Taken at Abingdon, Oxon., on May 18th 2018. (© David Hastings) (1/160th sec at f14) DescriptionFamily: Lasiocampidae (ABH : 66.010) Wing span: 56 - 70mm The Drinker is distinguished from other large eggars by the outer cross-line on the fore-wing, which runs diagonally to the wingtip, and a small white spot near the middle of the leading edge. The male is normally reddish-brown. The females varies from deep yellow to pale buff, or reddish-brown like the male. It is well-distributed throughout most of England (but absent from higher ground in the north), Wales, western Scotland and most of Ireland. It is most frequent in tall, damp grassland, fens, marshes, boggy areas on heathland and low moorland, damp open woodland, scrub and ditches. There is one generation from July to August. It over-winters as a small larva. The larva is large and distinctive when fully grown. Larvae feed on a wide range of coarse grasses, reeds and sedges. It comes to light, the male more frequently. Earliest UK sighting: 17th June ; Latest UK sighting: 18th July Sightings
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||