Lasiocampidae : Pinarinae
Lappet
GASTROPACHA (Gastropacha) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Lappet
GASTROPACHA (Gastropacha) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
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 -
Habitat: Hedgerows : Thorn Scrub on Downland : Open Woodland : Rural Gardens
Similar Species -
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.
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
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Bombyx) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phalaena quercifolia Linnaeus, 1758
- Not Specified
Habitat: Hedgerows : Thorn Scrub on Downland : Open Woodland : Rural Gardens
Similar Species -
- None
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.
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.
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Crataegus monogyna - Hawthorn
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Malus sylvestris - Crab Apple
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum
- Prunus persica - Peach
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe
- Pyrus communis - Wild Pear
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix alba - White Willow
- Salix cinerea - Grey Willow
- Rhamnaceae - The Buckthorn Family
- Frangula alnus - Alder Buckthorn
- Rhamnus cathartica - Common Buckthorn
- Frangula alnus - Alder Buckthorn
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Subgenus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - GASTROPACHA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Nominotypical Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Subspecies: Forms: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Lasiocampoidea Lasiocampidae Pinarinae Gastropachini GASTROPACHA Ochsenheimer, 1810 Gastropacha Ochsenheimer, 1810 Gastropacha (Gastropacha) quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena quercifolia Linnaeus, 1758 - 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 - Phalaena quercifolia quercifolia Linnaeus, 1758 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.497 - n.8 - Not Specified - G.q. quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758) - nominate subspecies G.q.meridionalis Hormuzaki, 1897 - stat.rev. very light yellowish ginger colour - Corsica & Provence - G.q.f.ulmifolia Heuäcker, 1873 - light yellow tinged with pink hue C.q.f.alnifolia Ochsenheimer, 1810 - very dark |