Species Details

ABH: 70.244

BF: 1923

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Colotois pennaria

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1761)

Vernacular: Feathered Thorn

Account: Common in broad-leaved woodland, areas with scattered trees, parks and gardens, throughout the British Isles, but under-recorded due to its late flight season; well distributed and common in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 46-50 mm. Unmistakable. Larva feeds on various broad-leaved trees, including Oak, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Apple, Dog-rose, Birch, Hazel, Willow and Poplar, over-wintering as an egg.

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: 46 — 50 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 7 Sep (2025) — 23 Dec (2002)

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: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

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/colotois-pennaria/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 880

Individuals: 1894

Earliest Year: 1833

Latest Year: 2025

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