Geometridae : Larentiinae
Winter Moth
OPEROPHTERA brumata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Winter Moth
OPEROPHTERA brumata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 22-33mm : Female Wingless
Worldwide Distribution: Palaearctic Region : Europe : Not Corsica : through to the Caucasus
UK Distribution: Occurs throughout most of Britain
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Woodlands : Parks : Gardens
Similar Species -
Larva: April-early June : Larva drops to ground to pupate in tough cocoon either below or above ground.
Overwinters as: Ova
Observations: The larva of the Winter Moth is truly polyphagous using larval food plants from many plant families,some of which are major cropping varieties used in food production by us, making it a pest when larvae reach such high numbers that they completely defoliate small trees and shrubs.
The male varies in pattern and colour from greyish brown to sooty brown with traverse lines that become blurred.
The female has only wing stumps which are extremely short, and can be found on tree trucks awaiting a passing male in order to complete her life cycle.
The Winter Moth is considered to be an invasive species into North America where infestations in orchards have been attributed to this species.
Worldwide Distribution: Palaearctic Region : Europe : Not Corsica : through to the Caucasus
UK Distribution: Occurs throughout most of Britain
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena brumata Linnaeus 1758
- Phalaena brumata Linnaeus 1758
- Not Specified
Habitat: Woodlands : Parks : Gardens
Similar Species -
- Northern Winter Moth Operophtra fagata Scharfenberg, 1805
Larva: April-early June : Larva drops to ground to pupate in tough cocoon either below or above ground.
Overwinters as: Ova
Observations: The larva of the Winter Moth is truly polyphagous using larval food plants from many plant families,some of which are major cropping varieties used in food production by us, making it a pest when larvae reach such high numbers that they completely defoliate small trees and shrubs.
The male varies in pattern and colour from greyish brown to sooty brown with traverse lines that become blurred.
The female has only wing stumps which are extremely short, and can be found on tree trucks awaiting a passing male in order to complete her life cycle.
The Winter Moth is considered to be an invasive species into North America where infestations in orchards have been attributed to this species.
Photo Gallery
Larva
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.
- Aceraceae - Maple Family
- Acer campestre - Field Maple
- Acer pseudoplatanus - Sycamore
- Acer negundo - Box Elder
- Acer platanoides - Norway Maple
- Betulaceae - Birch Family
- Betula pubescens - Downy Birch - White Birch - European White Birch
- Carpinus betulus - Hornbeam
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Ericaceae - Heather Family
- Calluna vulgaris - Common Heather - Ling
- Vaccinium myrtilus - Bilberry
- Vaccinium uliginosum - Bog Bilberry - Northern Bilberry
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Castanea sativa - Sweet Chestnut
- Fagus sylvatica - Beech
- Quercus cerris - Turkey Oak
- Quercus petraea - Sessile Oak
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Grossulariaceae - Gooseberry Family
- Ribes nigrum - Blackcurrant
- Ribes rubrum - Redcurrant
- Ribes uva-crispa - Gooseberry
- Juglandaceae - Walnut Family
- Juglans regia - Walnut
- Oleceae - Mesophytic Shrubs
- Fraxinus excelsior - Ash
- Pinaceae - Pine Family
- Picea abies - Norway Spruce
- Rhamnaceae - The Buckthorn Family
- Rhamnus cathartica - Common Buckthorn
- Rhamnus frangula - Alder Buckthorn
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Amelanchier ovalis - Snowy Mespilus
- Cydonia oblonga - Quince
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Mespilus germanica - Medlar
- Prunus armeniaca - Apricot
- Prunus avium - Wild Cherry
- Prunus cerasus - Sour Cherry
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum (Britain)
- Prunus dulcis - Almond
- Prunus mahaleb - Mahaleb Cherry
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry : Hackberry
- Prunus persica - Peach
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn
- Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry
- Pyrus communis - Wild Pear
- Rosa rugosa - Ramanas Rose - Japanese Rose
- Rubus idaeus - Raspberry : Framboise
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Sorbus hybrida - Swedish Service Tree
- Sorbus intermedia - Swedish Whitebeam
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus laurifolia - Laurel-leaf Poplar
- Populus tremula - Aspen Poplar
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Tiliaceae - Lime - Linden Family
- Tilia cordata - Small-leaved Lime
- Tilia platyphyllos - Large-leaved Lime
- Ulmaceae - Elm Family
- Ulmus glabra - Wych Elm - Scots Elm
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Corylaceae - Ostrya - Hophornbeams
- Myricaceae - Myrica - Myrtyle
- Rosaceae - Amelanchier - Serviceberry etc - Cotoneaster - Crateagus - Hawthorns
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Ulmus glabra - Wych Elm - Scots Elm
Larval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - OPEROPHTERA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality Forms/Aberrations: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Operophterini OPEROPHTERA Hübner, [1825] Operophtera brumata (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena brumata Linnaeus 1758 - PHALAENA (Geometra) brumata (Linnaeus 1758) = grisearia de Villers, 1789 = vulgaris Stephens, 1820 = myricaria Cooke, 1882 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.529 - n.201 - Not Specified - O.b.bunei Prout, 1914-Dark median line O.b.unicolor Lambillion, 1912-Background without distinct traverse lines O.b.fusca Lempke, 1950-Background dark brown O.b.nigrescens Lempke, 1950-Blackish grey-no brown tinge-some females found normal - O.b.robineaui Leraut, 1997-Ash coloured-Southern area of Alps |