Cossidae : Cossinae
Goat Moth
COSSUS Cossus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Goat Moth
COSSUS Cossus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: Male - 60 -75mm Female - 75 - 96mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less ( ) eastwards to Japan : North Africa
UK Distribution: Widely scattered localities,mainly eastern England south of the Wash and along the south coast from Kent to Devon and the Thames Valley. Other colonies in coast of Wales,Isle of Man and north-west England.Range declining
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Riverbanks : Fens : Marshes : Parkland : Hedgerows : Woodland Edges
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates under bark of tree
Overwinters as: Larva - two or three years
Observations: The larva of this moth lives in a tree for up to three years because it is a slow process to digest the tough cellulose of the tree wood.As they feed they produce frass and runs of fermented tree sap which runs out of the entrance holes and is an attractant to insects, in particular the Red Admiral which soon reacts in a drunken manner at this delight.The larva eventually leaves the host tree in summer searching for a place to pupate through the winter.The species common name is derived from the goat-like smell of the larvae.
The adult emerges the following summer and are on the wing in June and July.
The adults dont feed at all and also notable for adopting an angled posture when at rest on a tree.
Finding such a "Cossus" tree provides the best evidence that the species exists.
Both sexes occasionally come to light
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less ( ) eastwards to Japan : North Africa
UK Distribution: Widely scattered localities,mainly eastern England south of the Wash and along the south coast from Kent to Devon and the Thames Valley. Other colonies in coast of Wales,Isle of Man and north-west England.Range declining
UK Conservation Status -
- NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) & NERC S.42 : 2009 (Wales) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity
- Scottish Biodiversity List : 2005
- BAP : 2007 - Priority Species
- Nationally Scarce B (Nb - BAP : 1997) = 31 - 100 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena Cossus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phalaena Cossus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Europe
Habitat: Riverbanks : Fens : Marshes : Parkland : Hedgerows : Woodland Edges
Similar Species -
- None
Pupa: Pupates under bark of tree
Overwinters as: Larva - two or three years
Observations: The larva of this moth lives in a tree for up to three years because it is a slow process to digest the tough cellulose of the tree wood.As they feed they produce frass and runs of fermented tree sap which runs out of the entrance holes and is an attractant to insects, in particular the Red Admiral which soon reacts in a drunken manner at this delight.The larva eventually leaves the host tree in summer searching for a place to pupate through the winter.The species common name is derived from the goat-like smell of the larvae.
The adult emerges the following summer and are on the wing in June and July.
The adults dont feed at all and also notable for adopting an angled posture when at rest on a tree.
Finding such a "Cossus" tree provides the best evidence that the species exists.
Both sexes occasionally come to light
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder
- Alnus incana - Grey Alder
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Betula pubescens - Downy Birch
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Oleceae - Mesophytic Shrubs - Trees - Vines
- Fraxinus excelsior - Ash
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Sorbus intermedia - Swedish Whitebeam
- Sorbus torminalis - Wild Service Tree, Checkertree
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus balsamifera - Balsam Poplar
- Populus tremula - Aspen Poplar
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Salix fragilis - Crack Willow
- Ulmaceae - Elm Family
- lmus procera - English Elm - Antinian Elm - Common Elm
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species COSSUS: Original Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: Forms: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Cossoidea Cossidae Cossinae COSSUS Fabricius 1793 Cossus Cossus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena cossus Linnaeus, 1758 - PHALAENA Cossus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Syst.Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.504 -n.40 - Europe - C.c.cossus (Linnaeus, 1758) - nominate subspecies C.c.gueruenensis Friedel, 1977 C.c.armeniacus Rothschild, 1912 C.c.afghanistana Daniel, 1953 C.c.kossai Wiltshire, 1957 - C.c.f.subnigra Schultz, 1911 - black-brown C.c.f.nigra Dietz, 1919 - blackish C.c.f.albescens Kitt, 1925 - light coloured |