66.012 : 1642 : 6777
Lasiocampidae : Pinarinae

Lappet

GASTROPACHA (Gastropacha) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 50 - 90mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - ( Excluding - Azores,Balearic Is.,Canary Is.,Crete,Cyrus,Ireland,Madeira & Portugal) : eastwards to Siberia,China and Japan    
UK Distribution: well distributed in England south of a line between the Wash and Severn except extreme south -west: South Wales - recorded near coast : Channel Isles - occasionally
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = > 300 10km squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena (Bombyx) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Type Species - Gastropacha
  • Phalaena quercifolia Linnaeus, 1758
Type Locality -
  • Not Specified
Flight Period: June - mid August - univoltine
Habitat: Hedgerows : Thorn Scrub on Downland : Open Woodland : Rural Gardens
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The 90mm final instar larva is grey with very dark blue segmental divisions along thorax. There is a orange fringe of hair above the legs of the whole body. A few orange speckled pinacula dorsally which is also sometimes marked with light grey to white along back.
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon among plant litter
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: Can there be a more recognisable moth, both from its large size, and purplish brown ground colour,scalloped outer edge of wing,resting posture and prominent snout, all diagnostic for this moth and the perfect camouflage,looking like a old Oak leaves when at rest, providing the latin species name.
Lighter and darker forms for this moth are named but tend to be a rare occurence.
Comes to light in small 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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Type Species - GASTROPACHA:

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Forms:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Lasiocampoidea
Lasiocampidae
Pinarinae
Gastropachini
GASTROPACHA Ochsenheimer, 1810
Gastropacha Ochsenheimer, 1810
Gastropacha (Gastropacha) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Phalaena quercifolia Linnaeus, 1758
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PHALAENA (Bombyx) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
= Gastropacha quercus
= dalmatina Gerhard, 1882
= Bombyx dentata Scopoli, 1777
= Eutricha incompleta Tutt, 1902
= Gastropacha juncta Lempke 1960
= Eutricha lineata Tutt, 1902
= Gastropacha cerridifolia Felder 1862
= Eutricha major Tutt, 1902
= Eutricha meridionalis Hormuzaki, 1897
= Gastropacha pallida Spuler 1908
= Gastropacha obsoleta Rebel 1910
= Gastropacha obsoleta Lempke 1960
= Eutricha obsoleta Tutt, 1902
= Eutricha purpurascens Tutt, 1902
= Gastropacha salicifolia Staudinger 1892
= Gastropacha tangens Lempke 1960
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Phalaena quercifolia quercifolia Linnaeus, 1758
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.497 - n.8
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Not Specified
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G.q. quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758) - nominate subspecies
G.q.meridionalis Hormuzaki, 1897 - stat.rev. very light yellowish ginger colour - Corsica & Provence
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G.q.f.ulmifolia Heuäcker, 1873 - light yellow tinged with pink hue
C.q.f.alnifolia Ochsenheimer, 1810 - very dark