71.012 : 2000 : 8716
Notodontidae : Notodontinae

Iron Prominent

NOTODONTA dromedarius (Linnaeus, 1767)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 35-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : W.Russia : Caucasus
UK Distribution: Well distributed and common throughout the British Isles : Channel Isles-Occasional on Jersey and rare on Geurnsey
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena dromedarius Linnaeus, 1767
Type Species - Notodonta
  • Phalaena dromedarius Linnaeus, 1767
Type Locality -
  • Not Specified
Flight Period: Southern Britain-April to June & July to September-two generations : Northern Britain-June to July-single generation
Habitat: Broadleaved Woodland : Heathland : Gardens
Similar Species -
  • Great Prominent Peridea anceps Goeze, 1781
Larva: The final instar larva has two or three ground colour options ranging between green to reddish brown.The front or anterior abdominal segments are narrower than the posterior segments with a large hump at the penultimate abdominal segment and four smaller humps,at segments 3-6 .The many bumps and humps which is typical with "Prominent moths" give this larva a contorted appearance at rest which possibly works as a predator deterrent.
Pupa: Pupates underground in a cocoon.
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This beautiful moth has greyish-brown forewings with a subterminal line in  reddish brown which starts at the anal angle and finishes by turning around the apex and folowing the costa for a short distance,starting and finishing with an orange patch. Further orange patches appear at the base along with a couple of short reddish brown lines.ypical of the "Prominents" the thorax and legs are covered in fine short hairs.
In the north of the range individuals are usually darker with the markings previuosly described being feint.

The moth is attracted to the light trap, but seldom in large numbers.
Photo Gallery
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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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Noctuoidea
Notodontidae
Notodontinae
Notodontini
NOTODONTA Ochsenheimer 1810
Notondonta dromedarius (Linnaeus, 1767)
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Phalaena dromedarius (Linnaeus, 1767)
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PHALAENA dromedarius (Linnaeus, 1767)
= zeba Donovan, 1807
= frigida Rangnow, 1935
= westfalica Brandt, 1986
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Syst. Nat.(Edn 12) 1 (2):  Title page : p.827 - n.62
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Not Specified
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N.d.f.frigida Rangnow, 1935-Northern Europe-darker & smaller
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N.d.dromedarius Linnaeus, 1767
N.d.sibirica Schintimeister & Fang, 2001-S.Urals : Altai : Baikal : Sinkiang
N.d.pontica Witt, 1980