71.009 : 1999 : 8758
Notondontidae : Dicranurinae

Lobster Moth

STAUROPUS fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 45-60mm
Worldwide Distribution: Palearctic Region except N Africa
UK Distribution: Well distributed in Southern England and Wales.
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type Species - Stauropus
  • Phalaena fagi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type Locality -
  • Europe
Flight Period: mid April to August
Habitat: Matured woodland
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The larva is perhaps one of the most recognised of all larva with its orange-brown markings and its contorted appearance it looks very much like a lobster which gives the moth its common name. Larva-June to September
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.
Larval Food Plants
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