Species Details

ABH: 70.243

BF: 1922

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Ourapteryx sambucaria

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Swallow-tailed Moth

Account: Common in woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks and gardens, throughout the British Isles. Wingspan 50-62 mm. One of the largest and most spectacular geometers. Larva feeds on woody plants such as Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Goat Willow, Black Currant, Elder, Horse Chestnut and Ivy.

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: 50 — 62 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 9 Jun (1987) — 22 Oct (1980)

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

Foodplant: Hedera helix (Common Ivy), Polyphagous.

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/ourapteryx-sambucaria/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 832

Individuals: 269

Earliest Year: 1894

Latest Year: 2025

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