Cossidae : Zeuzerinae
Leopard Moth
ZEUZERA pyrina (Linnaeus, 1761)
Leopard Moth
ZEUZERA pyrina (Linnaeus, 1761)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: Male - 46-58mm Female - 60-78mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe eastwards to Japan : North Africa : Accidentally introduced into North America
UK Distribution: Southern England north to Yorkshire,eastern Wales,Channel Isles(Jersey Only) - widespread and frequent : Ireland - absent
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Gardens : Orchards : Scrub : Forest edges : Mixed forests : Parks
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates under bark of tree
Overwinters as: Larva - overwintering two or three times
Observations: There is no mistaking this moth with its six large black spots on the furry thorax followed by a series of black spots along the dorsum and costa and well as smaller black spots on the forewing.
The male of the species like many other males has a feather-like antennae.
The wings appear slightly translulent and in the f.biebingeri Speidel & Speidel, 1986 the wings are fully translucent as well as being slightly smaller.
In the f.conflua Schultz, 1905(formally f.confluens Cockayne, 1955) the spots form together forming short black bands.
Both sexes of this moth are attracted to light and can sometimes be found on tree trunks etc. during the day.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe eastwards to Japan : North Africa : Accidentally introduced into North America
UK Distribution: Southern England north to Yorkshire,eastern Wales,Channel Isles(Jersey Only) - widespread and frequent : Ireland - absent
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena pyrina (Linnaeus, 1761)
- Phalaena aesculi (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Europe
Habitat: Gardens : Orchards : Scrub : Forest edges : Mixed forests : Parks
Similar Species -
- Puss Moth - Cerura vinula - (Linnaeus, 1758)
Pupa: Pupates under bark of tree
Overwinters as: Larva - overwintering two or three times
Observations: There is no mistaking this moth with its six large black spots on the furry thorax followed by a series of black spots along the dorsum and costa and well as smaller black spots on the forewing.
The male of the species like many other males has a feather-like antennae.
The wings appear slightly translulent and in the f.biebingeri Speidel & Speidel, 1986 the wings are fully translucent as well as being slightly smaller.
In the f.conflua Schultz, 1905(formally f.confluens Cockayne, 1955) the spots form together forming short black bands.
Both sexes of this moth are attracted to light and can sometimes be found on tree trunks etc. during the day.
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.
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Ceratonia siliqua - Carob - St John's Bread
- Robinia pseudoacacia - Black Locust - Yellow Locust
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus alba - White Oak
- Grossulariaceae - Currant Family
- Ribes nigrum - Blackcurrant
- Ribes uva-crispa - Gooseberry
- Hamamelidaceae - Witch - Hazel Family
- Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweet Gum - Red Gum
- Hippocastanaceae - Horse Chestnut Family
- Aesculus hippocastanum - Horse Chestnut
- Juglandaceae - Walnut Family
- Juglans regia - Walnut
- Magnoliaceae - Magnolia Family
- Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip Tree
- Lythraceae - Loosestrife Family
- Punica granatum - Pomengranate
- Oleceae - Mesophytic Shrubs - Trees - Vines
- Olea europaea - Olive
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Clematis vitalba - Traveller's Joy
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Cydonia oblonga - Quince
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe(Britain)
- Pyrus communis - Wild Pear
- Tiliaceae - Lime Family
- Tilia americana - American Basswood - Carolina Basswood
- Urticaeae - Nettle Family
- Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Aceraceae - Acer - Maple
- Aquifoliaceae - Ilex - Holly
- Caprifoliaceae - Lonicera - Honeysuckle
- Fagaceae - Castanea - Chestnuts
- Juglandaceae - Carya - Hickory
- Moraceae - Broussonetia - Paper Mulberry
- Oleceae - Fraxinus - Ash,Syringa - Lilac
- Rosaceae - Crataegus - Hawthorn, Prunus - Plum,cherry etc
- Ulmaceae - Ulmus - Elm
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry
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 ZEUZERA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Nominotypical Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Cossoidea Cossidae Zeuzerinae ZEUZERA Latreille 1804 Zeuzera pyrina (Linnaeus, 1761) - Phalaena aesculi (Linnaeus, 1767) - PHALAENA pyrina (Linnaeus, 1761) = aesculi (Linnaeus, 1767) = Zeuzera decipiens Kirby, 1892 = confluens Cockayne, 1955 - Zeuzera pyrina pyrina (Linnaeus, 1761) - Fauna Suecica (Edn 1-2) : Title Page : p.306 - n.1150 - Europe - Z.p.f.conflua Schultz, 1905 - spots merge to form short bands Z.p.f.marginestriata Lempke, 1961 - points on margins become short black streaks Z.p.f.biebingeri Speidel & Speidel, 1986 - wingspan reduced and translucent |
