Notodontidae : Phalerinae
Buff-tip
PHALERA bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
Buff-tip
PHALERA bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 42-55mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Asia Minor : Central asia : E.Asia
UK Distribution: Well distributed throughout the British Isles although less so in Scotland.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates underground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is one that has its own built in camouflage looking rather like a broken Birch tree twig when at rest with its "buff tip"(the broken branch)and the silver forewing markings(bark) and the thorax marking,this is a fascinating if not very mobile moth.
Having seen this moth every time I put out the moth trap during their season I would have at least a couple which proved the point that they dont seem to travel well and will stay in an area for some time.
This moth is attracted to light but often don't appear until after midnight.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Asia Minor : Central asia : E.Asia
UK Distribution: Well distributed throughout the British Isles although less so in Scotland.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Vulnerable
- Least Concern
- Phalaena bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Phalaena bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Not Specified
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows
Similar Species -
- None
Pupa: Pupates underground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is one that has its own built in camouflage looking rather like a broken Birch tree twig when at rest with its "buff tip"(the broken branch)and the silver forewing markings(bark) and the thorax marking,this is a fascinating if not very mobile moth.
Having seen this moth every time I put out the moth trap during their season I would have at least a couple which proved the point that they dont seem to travel well and will stay in an area for some time.
This moth is attracted to light but often don't appear until after midnight.
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.
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Betula pubescens - Downy Birch
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Populus balsamifera - Balsam Poplar
- Populus tremula - Aspen Poplar
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus petraea - Sessile Oak
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Rosa glauca - Red-leaved Rose
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix alba - White Willow
- Salix cinerea - Grey Willow
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Salix lapponum - Downy Willow - Lapland Willow
- Salix phylicifolia -Tea-leaved Willow
- Tiliaceae - Lime - Linden Family
- Tilia cordata - Small-leaved Lime
- Tilia platyphyllos - Large-leaved Lime
- Ulmaceae - Elm Family
- Ulmus procera - English Elm - Common Elm
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species PHALERA: Original Species Name: Species Name: Nominotypical Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Notodontidae Phalerinae PHALERA Hübner [1819] Phalera bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758) - PHALAENA bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758) = lunula Retzius, 1783 = tenebrata Strand, 1903 = philonica Stauder, 1923 = velata Dannehl, 1925 - PHALAENA bucephala bucephala (Linnaeus, 1758) - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.508 - n.61 - Not Specified - P.b.f.tenebrata Strand, 1903-Darker shading - P.b.bucephala Linnaeus, 1758 |