A species of autumn and spring, the Red-green Carpet can be seen in September and October before hibernating as an adult and flying again in the early spring.
The adult moth has a subtle combination of reddish and green colours which can sometimes appear to change, depending on the light.
Flies in September and October, hibernating as an adult and flying again in early spring.
Family – Geometridae
Small/Medium Sized
Can be similar to Dark Crimson Underwing, but is usually smaller with a lighter and more variegated forewing.
Like most other British Catocala species, this moth can be attracted to light as well as sugar.
Flies between July and August.
Caterpillars feed on Oak (Quercus)
Oak woodland.
Not found in the UK.
Caterpillars feed on stonecrop (Sedum species)
Diverse - rocky and stony places and vineyards in hills and mountains.
The Rosy Underwing is superficially similar to the native Red Underwing but is slightly smaller and paler looking. Comes to sugar and sometimes to light.
No evidence of breeding in the British Isles but in Europe, the caterpillars can be found between May and June.
There are less than two dozen records from the UK with the first from Shoreham, Sussex in 1875. First recorded on the Channel Islands in 2002 where it is now thought to be resident.
Flies from July to September in one generation, immigrants to the UK can be seen from August.
An unmistakable species that is both common and widespread in Europe but unfortunately only a sporadic migrant to the British Isles with less than 200 records in the last century.
The moth occurs naturally in the Mediterranean and North Africa, and most immigrants are presumed to have originated there, typically arriving with plumes of warm air during the summer or autumn. Attracted to light but also flies during the day when it is easily disturbed.
Like the other tiger moths, this is a large colourful moth with bold markings. Its distinctive features are its black forewings with cream spots, yellow hindwings and a furry black thorax.
When disturbed it will display its hindwings and its orange/red abdomen to warn off predators.
It spends most of the year as a larva, from July to late April or early May, before pupating in a cocoon amongst low vegetation. The adult moth then emerges after about 20 days.
The adults are occasionally seen resting on tree trunks in the early morning. The caterpillars feed inside the trunk of the tree from August to the following May, overwintering as part-grown larvae.
This moth can be distinguished from the Large Red-belted and Red-tipped Clearwings by the absence of any red markings on the forewings.
The adults are occasionally seen flying around apple trees in the afternoon. The caterpillars can be found feeding underneath the bark of the foodplant from August to the following May, overwintering as larvae.
The adult females can occasionally be seen laying their eggs on freshly-cut birch tree stumps. The caterpillars feed inside the tree stump or trunk from July to the following May, overwintering as larvae inside a cocoon.
The grey forewings are crossed by jagged cross-lines and bands. The red hindwing which gives it the English name has a black band around the scalloped margin, fringed with white. Another irregular black band runs across the centre of the red patch of the hindwing.
The larvae can be found from May to July feeding at night and hiding under loose bark or in a crevice during the day. They overwinter as eggs.
