Lasiocampidae : Lasiocampinae
Fox Moth
MACROTHYLACIA rubi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Fox Moth
MACROTHYLACIA rubi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: Male - 55 - 65 Female 55 - 75mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - ( Excluding - Azores,Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Crete,Cyprus,Madeira,Malta & Sardinia) : Europe to central Asia
UK Distribution: Widely distributed throughout most of the British Isles including Isle of Man : Ireland - mainly in the north and west : Channel Isles - widespread and infrequent
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Heathland : Moorland : Downland : Damp Meadows : Coastal Grassland : Sand Dunes : Open Woodland
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates in long cocoon near the ground
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: An easily identified moth by its predominately large size with two parallel forewing yellowish white cross lines against a plain brown background with no wings spots.The male is smaller than the female with reddish brown forewings whereas the female has grey brown forewings.
Fox moths recorded in northern areas are generally darker,leaning more to grey tones.
Like most of the Eggar moths the male is a daytime rapid flyer and is sometimes attracted to the light whereas the female is nocturnal and is frequent seen at light.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - ( Excluding - Azores,Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Crete,Cyprus,Madeira,Malta & Sardinia) : Europe to central Asia
UK Distribution: Widely distributed throughout most of the British Isles including Isle of Man : Ireland - mainly in the north and west : Channel Isles - widespread and infrequent
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = > 300 10km squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena rubi Linnaeus, 1758
- Phalaena rubi Linnaeus, 1758
- Europe
Habitat: Heathland : Moorland : Downland : Damp Meadows : Coastal Grassland : Sand Dunes : Open Woodland
Similar Species -
- Separated from "Eggars" by missing forewing spot.
Pupa: Pupates in long cocoon near the ground
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: An easily identified moth by its predominately large size with two parallel forewing yellowish white cross lines against a plain brown background with no wings spots.The male is smaller than the female with reddish brown forewings whereas the female has grey brown forewings.
Fox moths recorded in northern areas are generally darker,leaning more to grey tones.
Like most of the Eggar moths the male is a daytime rapid flyer and is sometimes attracted to the light whereas the female is nocturnal and is frequent seen at light.
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.
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
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Ericaceae - Heather Family
- Calluna vulgaris - Common Heather - Ling
- Erica cinerea - Bell Heather - Heather Bell
- Erica tetralix - Bog Heather
- Vaccinium myrtilus - Bilberry - Blue Whortleberry
- Vaccinium vitis-idaea - Cowberry
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - The Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Trifolium medium - Zigzag Clover
- Trifolium pratense - Red Clover
- Vicia cracca - Tufted Vetch
- Geraniaceae - Geranium - Cranebills Family
- Geranium sanguineum - Bloody Cranesbill
- Geranium sylvaticum - Wood Crane's-bill
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Polygonum aviculare - Postrate Knotweed
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Filipendula ulmaria - Meadowsweet
- Fragaria vesca - Wild Strawberry
- Rosa spinosissima - Scotch or Burnet Rose
- Rubus cochinchinensis - No Common Name
- Rubus fruticosus - Bramble - Blackberry
- Rubus idaeus - Raspberry - Framboise
- Sanguisorba minor - Salad Burnet
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus tremula - Aspen Poplar
- Salix aurita - Eared Sallow
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Salix phylicifolia - Tealeaf Willow
- Salix repens - Creeping Willow
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - MACROTHYLACIA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Lasiocampoidea Lasiocampidae Lasiocampinae Macrothylaciini MACROTHYLACIA Rambur 1866 Macrothylacia rubi (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena rubi Linnaeus, 1758 - PHALAENA rubi (Linnaeus, 1758) = pygmaea Reuter, 1893 = Macrothylacia alfacaria Ribbe 1910 = Macrothylacia approximata Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia approximata Berge 1910 = Macrothylacia basigrisea Lempke 1960 = Macrothylacia beyeri Linstow 1911 = Macrothylacia bicolor Lempke 1960 = Macrothylacia brevipennis Cockayne 1951 = Macrothylacia brunnea Lempke 1937 = Macrothylacia conjuncta Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia conjuncta Closs 1917 = Macrothylacia dissimilis Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia fasciata Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia ferruginea Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia grisea Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia monogrammica Cockayne 1951 = Macrothylacia montana Bergmann 1953 = Macrothylacia obsoleta Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia pallida Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia pallida Thierry-Mieg 1910 = Macrothylacia pallidior Cockayne 1951 = Macrothylacia pygmaea Reuter 1893 = Macrothylacia rufa Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia separata Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia suffusa Closs & Hannemann 1917 = Macrothylacia transfuga Krulikovski 1908 = Macrothylacia unilinea Tutt 1902 = Macrothylacia virgata Rebel 1910 = Macrothylacia virgata Tutt 1902 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.498 - n.14 - Europe |