Species Details

ABH: 73.246

BF: 2185

Family: Noctuidae

Subfamily: Hadeninae

Taxon: Orthosia populeti

Authority: (Fabricius, 1781)

Vernacular: Lead-coloured Drab

Account: Local in broad-leaved woodland, parks and gardens throughout the British Isles. The main confusion species is the highly variable Clouded Drab O. incerta, but Lead-coloured Drab has more rounded forewing and more distinct black dots on subterminal fascia, and is less variable and usually always predominately grey. Larva feeds within catkins of Aspen and Black Poplar, subsequently feeding on the leaves, 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: 16 Feb (2007) — 8 May (1976)

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

Foodplant: Populus sp. (a poplar), Populus tremula (Aspen).

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/orthosia-populeti/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 227

Individuals: 147

Earliest Year: 1867

Latest Year: 2025

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