Species Details

ABH: 66.008

BF: 1638

Family: Lasiocampidae

Subfamily: Lasiocampinae

Taxon: Macrothylacia rubi

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Fox Moth

Account: Common on heathland, moorland, downland, damp meadows, sand-dunes and open woodland throughout much of the British Isles Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Heather, Bilberry, Bramble, Meadowsweet and Salad Burnet.

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 52 — 60 mm; female 58 — 78 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 5 May (2011) — 3 Jul (1991)

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

Foodplant: Calluna sp., Erica sp., Polygonum aviculare (Knotgrass), Rosa spinosissima (Burnet Rose), Rubus sp., Salix repens (Creeping Willow), Vaccinium myrtillus (Bilberry).

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/macrothylacia-rubi/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 153

Individuals: 38

Earliest Year: 1882

Latest Year: 2018

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