Species Details

ABH: 73.244

BF: 2187

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Hadeninae

Taxon: Orthosia cerasi

Authority: (Fabricius, 1775)

Vernacular: Common Quaker

Account: Common often abundant, in a wide range of low-land habitats, including woodland and gardens throughout the British Isles. A very common early spring visitor to light traps, distinguished from the equally common Small Quaker O. cruda by the relatively large size and large orbicular stigma; and from Blossom Underwing O. miniosa by its complete and pale, upper stigmata clearly outlined whitish, median fascia, when present, narrow and dark, and hindwing fuscous (MBGBI Vol 9). Larva feeds on various herbaceous trees and shrubs, including Oak, Sallow, Birch, Elm, Hawthorn and Hazel, 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: 34 — 40 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 2 Jan (1975) — 29 Dec (2023)

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

Foodplant: Eucalyptus pauciflora (Snow-gum), Quercus sp. (an oak), 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: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/orthosia-cerasi/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1697

Individuals: 4282

Earliest Year: 1867

Latest Year: 2025

« Previous Random 🎲 Next »