72.012 BF2029 - Brown-tail - Erebidae - Euproctis chrysorrhoea

72.012 BF2029 - Erebidae - Lymantriinae - Euproctis chrysorrhoea - Brown-tail

Adult Macro: CAT 1 - Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others -

- click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

- Significant Record / Very Rare / Vagrant

Taxonomy: Macro >> Erebidae

ID Difficulty: green

- easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.

ID pointers: A fairly distinctive all white moth, that has a slightly silky appearance to the upper-wing surfaces, with a chocolate-brown abdomen in the male and brownish – grey in the female. The female has a brown tuft at the tip of the abdomen. The male has heavily feathered antennae.

Distribution: (First record: 1902/1999 ) - (Last record: 09/07/2024 at Sandiacre ) - Extremely rare and current status unknown, due to insufficient records. Most likely an immigrant. First recorded in 1902 and the last modern day record was in 1999. A male, was trapped overnight on 30th June 2015, in a garden in Findern, in the south of the county and appears to be the first record since the 1999 individual. Latest record is from Sandiacre on 9/7/2024. It is mainly a coastal species and is rarely seen in inland counties. The possibility of larvae or eggs being carried from coastal sites, where the species is a pest on Sea Buckthorn, cannot be ruled out.

Flight Period: July / August / - On the wing July – August.

Moth Activity: Nocturnal - and is attracted to light

Wingspan: 36-42mm
Forewing: M 16-20mm. F 18-19mm

Food Plant: Hawthorn (Crataegus) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). Sea Buckthorn.

Last Recorded Date: 09/07/2024

Last Recorded By: Paul Buxton

Last Recorded General Area: Sandiacre

First Recorded Year: 1902/1999