66.005 : 1633 : 6738
Lasiocampidae : Lasiocampinae

Small Eggar

ERIOGASTER (Eriogaster) lanestris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Kind permission - © Peter Allen
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: Male - 28-35mm Female - 30-45mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - excluding (Azores,Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Channel Is.,Corsica,Crete,Cyprus,Madeira,Malta,Portugal,Sardinia, & Sicily) - eastwards to Amur Region of northern China and southern Siberia
UK Distribution: England,Ireland - few scattered colonies : Wales - few localities
UK Conservation Status -
  • Nationally Scarce B (Nb - BAP : 1997) = 31 - 100 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena lanestris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type Species - Eriogaster
  • Phalaena lanestris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type Locality -
  • Europe
Flight Period: February - March/April
Habitat: Hedgerows : Scattered Bushes in Open Country
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The 50mm final instar larva is velvety black with a series of burnt orange tufts with long orange/white setae, each tuft surrounded by cream square line subdorsally. Head and thoracic legs black with burnt orange prolegs.
Pupa: Pupates in strong ochreous cocoon spun up on the host plant
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is now a scarce species possibly due in part to loss of hedgerows or early trimming of same during the larval stage and weather conditions and is now considered a Nationally Scarce B species.
The moth is unmistakable firstly due to its very early flight season of February to March and secondly due to its small size and deep reddish brown background,whitish spot in centre of forewing and whitish postmedian line.There is also a white clearly marked "shoulder" loop.
Part of the hindwing is visible when the moth is a rest with its forewings closed.(See photo)
The female is larger with a large tuft of grey hair on the end of the abdomen which is used to cover the egg batches.

Being nocturnal the moth is seldom seen but is sometimes attracted to the light trap.

The full range of this beautiful moth is in Europe eastwards to the Amur region of China nad Siberia.
Photo Gallery
Larva
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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - ERIOGASTER:

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Forms:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Lasiocampoidea
Lasiocampidae
Lasiocampinae
Eriogastrini
ERIOGASTER  Germar 1810
Eriogaster Germar 1810
Eriogaster (Eriogaster) lanestris (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Phalaena lanestris Linnaeus, 1758
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PHALAENA lanestris Linnaeus, 1758
= senecta Graeser, 1888
= borealis Caradja, 1895
= hungarica Daniel, 1935
= montana Traöger, 1956
= Eriogaster obsoleta Cockayne 1944
= Eriogaster deleta Cockayne 1950
= Eriogaster nigrosuffusa Smith 1954
= Rebel obsoleta Tutt, 1910
= Bombyx aavasaksae Teich, 1881
= Eriogaster quadrangulata Rebel 1910
= Eriogaster radiata Perrier 1957
= Eriogaster rufomarginata Closs & Hannemann 1917
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page :  p.499- n. 15
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Europe
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E.l.lanestris (Linnaeus, 1758) - Nominate Subspecies - Asia Minor
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E.l.f.aavasaksae Teich, 1881 - Towards grey with fragmented postmedial line - Lapland
E.l.f.absoleta Tutt, 1910 - no discal spot
E.l.f.hungaria Daniel, 1935 - chocolate brown - Balkans
E.l.f.variegata Lenze, 1926 - background lighter,postmedial line faint