Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)
Species

Taken at Aston, Oxon., on August 11th 2023.
(1/250th sec at f11. © David Hastings)

Description

Family: Notodontidae

Wing span: 36 - 50mm

A very distinctive moth, which resembles a piece of broken wood. It has large upturned palps at the front, and divided tail tufts on the long abdomen of the male. The fore-wing is greyish-straw with dark veins and dots. The antennae are feathered, strongly in the male.

It is well-distributed and common in southern Britain, most of mainland Scotland, and Ireland.

It can be found in most places where the larval food-plants grow.

There are two generations, May to June and July to August. It over-winters as a pupa.

Larvae feed on aspen, other poplars and willows.

The male comes regularly to light, the female very infrequently.

Sightings

11-Aug-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)
04-Aug-2023 : Aston, Oxon (1)

17-Jul-2022 : Aston, Oxon (1)