Species Details

ABH: 66.005

BF: 1633

Family: Lasiocampidae

Subfamily: Lasiocampinae

Taxon: Eriogaster lanestris

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Small Eggar

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) on heathland, scrub and downland, discontinuously throughout England Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Hawthorn and Blackthorn, living gregariously within a silken web, and over-wintering as a pupa; the species' decline has been attributed to severe trimming of hedges during the larval season (MBGBI Vol 7 part 2).

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: male 34 — 40 mm; female 44 — 48 mm

Surrey Flight Period: —

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

Foodplant: Crataegus sp., Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn).

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

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

No distribution map – Sensitive species!

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/eriogaster-lanestris/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 2

Individuals: 0

Earliest Year: 1932

Latest Year: 1948

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