Lasiocampidae : Lasiocampinae
The Drinker
EUTHRIX potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758)
The Drinker
EUTHRIX potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: Male-50-58mm : Female-64-72mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Siberia : Japan
UK Distribution: Resident : Well distributed in England and Wales becoming more coastal in the north : Scotland-found on western side of mainland and in the Inner Hebrides : Ireland-well distributed : Isle of Man-local to rare : Channel Islands-Jersey-Widespread : Geurnsey-local to rare.
UK Conservation Status -
Flight Period: July-August-single generation
Similar species -
Pupa: Usually pupates in a cream spindle shaped papery cocoon, on grass stem or under wood
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations: The Drinker Moth is named (potatoria-from the Latin species name meaning, "Drinkers")from the larva habit of taking dew or water droplets from the grass stems of the larval food plant.
Although the Drinker moth larva tends to be large and easily identifiable in the field the male moth is plain orange brown in colour but it is apparent to see how they get their common name of "Snout" moth.
The moth is nocturnal and although both male and female are attracted to light the male more frequently.
The Drinker moth is easily identified from other "Eggar and Lappet moths" by the cross line that runs from forewing apex to dorsum.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Siberia : Japan
UK Distribution: Resident : Well distributed in England and Wales becoming more coastal in the north : Scotland-found on western side of mainland and in the Inner Hebrides : Ireland-well distributed : Isle of Man-local to rare : Channel Islands-Jersey-Widespread : Geurnsey-local to rare.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena potatoria Linnaeus 1758
- Phalaena potatoria Linnaeus, 1758
- Europe
Flight Period: July-August-single generation
Similar species -
- None
Pupa: Usually pupates in a cream spindle shaped papery cocoon, on grass stem or under wood
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations: The Drinker Moth is named (potatoria-from the Latin species name meaning, "Drinkers")from the larva habit of taking dew or water droplets from the grass stems of the larval food plant.
Although the Drinker moth larva tends to be large and easily identifiable in the field the male moth is plain orange brown in colour but it is apparent to see how they get their common name of "Snout" moth.
The moth is nocturnal and although both male and female are attracted to light the male more frequently.
The Drinker moth is easily identified from other "Eggar and Lappet moths" by the cross line that runs from forewing apex to dorsum.
Photo Gallery : Click photo for larger image
Larva
Larval Food Plants
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.
- Cyperaceae - Carex - Sedge Family
- Carex acutiformis - Lesser Pond Sedge
- Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grass Family
- Alopecursus pratensis - Meadow Foxtail
- Arrhenatherum elatius - False Oat-grass
- Calamagrostis epigejos - Wood Small-reed
- Carex flacca - Blue Sedge
- Dactylis glomerata - Cocks-foot
- Elymus repens - Couch grass
- Molinia arundinacea - Tall Purple Moor Grass
- Phalaris arundinacea - Sweet Canary-grass
- Phleum pratense - Timothy-grass
- Phragmites australis - Common Reed
- Poa trivialis - Rough-stalked Meadow-grass
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Cyperaceae - Carex - Sedge Family
- Juncaceae - Luzula - Rushes Family
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - EUTHRIX: Original Genus/Species Group Name: Nominotypical Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Lasiocampoidea Lasiocampidae Pinarinae Selenepherini EUTHRIX Meigen, 1830 Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena potatoria (Linnaeus 1758) - PHALAENA potatoria (Linnaeus 1758) = Cosmotriche potatoria = Phalaena potatoria Linnaeus, 1758 = occidentalis Lempke, 1949 = Philudoria potatoria = Euthrix potatoria potatoria - Phalaena potatoria potatoria Linnaeus 1758 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.498 - n.11 - Europe-southern-Depository unknown - E.p.extrema Tutt, 1902-Very Dark Males E.p.pallida Tutt, 1902-Light Ocre Yellow E.p.berolinensis Heyne, 1899-Ochre Yellow,markings blurred E.p.brunnea Thierry-Mieg, 1910-Brown-Females only - E.p.potatoria Linnaeus, 1758-nominotypical subspecies |