Yellow-tail

Yellow-tail
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lymantriidae
Genus: Euproctis
Species: E. similis
Binomial name
Euproctis similis
(Fuessly, 1775)
Synonyms
  • Phalaena similis Fuessly, 1775
  • Porthesia similis (Fuessly, 1775)
  • Sphrageidus similis (Fuessly, 1775)
  • Porthesia similis

The Yellow-tail, Goldtail Moth or Swan Moth (Euproctis similis) is a moth of the family Lymantriidae. It is distributed throughout Europe.

This species has a wingspan of 35-45 mm, the female usually noticeably larger than the male. All parts of the adults are pure white, apart from a bright yellow tip to the abdomen (larger in the female) and a small black or brown tornal mark on the forewing of the male. It flies at night in July and August [1] and is attracted to light, especially the males.

The larva is black with red and yellow stripes and is very hairy. It usually feeds on trees and shrubs such as alder, apple, birch, blackcurrant, blackthorn, cherry, chestnut, hawthorn, oak, rowan and sallow. It has also been recorded on monkshood, which is a herbaceous plant. This species overwinters as a larva.

Contents

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

References

External links