Notondontidae : Dicranurinae
Lobster Moth
STAUROPUS fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Lobster Moth
STAUROPUS fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 45-60mm
Worldwide Distribution: Palearctic Region except N Africa
UK Distribution: Well distributed in Southern England and Wales.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Matured woodland
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon among leaves or underground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: An easy moth to identify,the Lobster Moth at rest with its wings closed has overlapping hindwings showing.
The forewing is medium brown lightening to pale brown towards the termen and with an orange patch on the dorsum towards the base. The pale brown median cross-line is zig zag in appearance creating forward facing teeth like markings.The antemedial line is black as is the subterminal cross-lines that is made up of a series of black spots.
The moth is attracted to the light trap,although females are less so.
Worldwide Distribution: Palearctic Region except N Africa
UK Distribution: Well distributed in Southern England and Wales.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phalaena fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Europe
Habitat: Matured woodland
Similar Species -
- None
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon among leaves or underground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: An easy moth to identify,the Lobster Moth at rest with its wings closed has overlapping hindwings showing.
The forewing is medium brown lightening to pale brown towards the termen and with an orange patch on the dorsum towards the base. The pale brown median cross-line is zig zag in appearance creating forward facing teeth like markings.The antemedial line is black as is the subterminal cross-lines that is made up of a series of black spots.
The moth is attracted to the light trap,although females are less so.
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.
- Betulaceae - Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Castanea crenata - Japanese Chestnut
- Fagus sylvatica - Beech
- Quercus acutissima - Sawthorn Oak
- Quercus mongolica - Mongolian Oak
- Quercus serrata - Korean Oak
- Juglandaceae - Walnut Family
- Juglans regia - Walnut
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe(Britain)
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Rosa canina - Dog Rose
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Tiliaceae - Lime - Linden Family
- Tilia cordata - Small-leaved Lime
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Aceraceae - Acer - Maple
- Betulaceae - Betula - Birch
- Cornaceae - Cornus - Dogwoods
- Fagaceae - Carpinus - Hornbeams
- Juglandaceae - Pterocarya - Wingnuts
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - Wisteria
- Ulmaceae -Zelkova - Elm Family
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Tilia cordata - Small-leaved Lime
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - STAUROPUS: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Notondontidae Dicranurinae STAUROPUS Germar 1812 Stauropus fagi (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena fagi (Linnaeus, 1758) - PHALAENA fagi (Linnaeus, 1758) = Stauropus fagi fagi. - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.508 - n.60 - Europe - S.f.f.obscura Rebel, 1910-uniformly dark - S.f.fagi Linnaeus, 1758 S.f.persimlis Butler, 1879-Japan |