Species Details

ABH: 72.026

BF: 2057

Family: Erebidae

Subfamily: Arctiinae

Taxon: Arctia caja

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Garden Tiger

Account: Reasonably common, but has declined drastically in recent years, in gardens, water meadows, marshes, fens, sand-dunes and open woodland throughout the British Isles, a species of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan Variable, but generally unmistakable. Larva feeds on various herbaceous plants, including Stinging Nettle, Broad-leaved Dock, Greater Burdock and Lesser Burdock.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 50 — 78 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 14 Jun (1974) — 31 Aug (1962)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Polyphagous.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Near Threatened (NT)

UK BAP: BAP(R)

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/arctia-caja/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 318

Individuals: 106

Earliest Year: 1903

Latest Year: 2025

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