Species Details

ABH: 70.237

BF: 1917

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Selenia dentaria

Authority: (Fabricius, 1775)

Vernacular: Early Thorn

Account: Common in woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks and gardens, throughout the British Isles. Wingspan 40-51 mm. The second, summer generation smaller and brighter than the spring generation. Larva feeds on various woody plants, including Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Hazel, Downy and Silver Birch, Alder, Sallow, Honeysuckle and Bog-myrtle, 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: 40 — 51 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 25 Feb (2024) — 8 Sep (2018)

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

Foodplant: 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/selenia-dentaria/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1204

Individuals: 1401

Earliest Year: 1903

Latest Year: 2025

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