Male. Taken at Aston, Oxon., on May 28th 2026. (© David Hastings)
(Canon R6+RF100, f/8, 1/200th, ISO3200, 100mm)

Description

Family: Notodontidae (ABH : 71.003)

Wing span: 58 - 76mm

A large white or greyish-white furry moth. It has several small black spots on the thorax and near the wing base, and steeply contoured grey lines on the outer fore-wing. The female is generally larger and has a grey hind-wing.

It is fairly frequent throughout most of the British Isles.

Habitats are gardens, hedgerows, open woodland, moorland, scrub and carr.

There is one generation from May to July. It over-winters as a pupa in a very hard cocoon spun on a tree trunk or post, incorporating wood macerated by the larva.

Larvae feed on poplars and willows, particularly low regrowth or suckers of Aspen and Goat Willow (Sallow).

It comes to light in small numbers.

Earliest UK sighting: 28th May

Sightings