Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Showing posts with label Spilosoma lubricipeda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spilosoma lubricipeda. Show all posts

Tuesday, 14 September 2021

WHITE ERMINE MOTH (Spilosoma lubricipeda) caterpillar Blacksod, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed species information
 
 The White Ermine Moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda) is of the family Erebidae which is in the genus Spilosoma. This common species is found throughout the temperate regions of Eurasia. The adult is white with dark antennae and has black speckling on the forewing. The normal flight season is from mid May to end of July but infrequently there is a second generation later in the autumn. Larval stage is from July to late September. Then a  hairy cocoon is formed among plant debris in which the pupal stage remains and emerges the following year as an adult in early summer.
 
 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds  
 
References and highly recommended reading:
Field guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland  by Paul Waring, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington
Field guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland  by Barry Henwood, Phil Sterling and Richard Lewington