Species Details

ABH: 71.007

BF: 1998

Family: Notodontidae

Subfamily: Cerurinae

Taxon: Furcula bifida

Authority: (Brahm, 1787)

Vernacular: Poplar Kitten

Account: Local in woodland, plantations and gardens throughout England The main confusion species is Sallow Kitten F. furcula, but F. furcula is smaller and outer edge of central cross-band is usually rather irregular and usually only finely outlined in black in the leading half, while in F. bifida the outer margin of the median fascia is black and more evenly curved (MBGBI Vol 9). Larva feeds on Poplar and Aspen, over-wintering as a pupa.

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: 44 — 48 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 23 Apr (2011) — 23 Aug (1968)

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

Foodplant: Populus sp. (a poplar), Salix sp. (a sallow).

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: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/furcula-bifida/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 146

Individuals: 33

Earliest Year: 1884

Latest Year: 2019

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