Page 486 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Geometridae
DISTRIBUTION From France and United Kingdom north and east across Europe
into Russia, and northern China to Japan
HABITAT Forests and woodlands
HOST PLANTS Various, including Aspen (Populus tremula), Blackthorn (Prunus
spinosa), honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), and many Prunus spp.

NOTE Well-camou aged, twiglike caterpillar found on trees and shrubs
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but a common species

ADULT WINGSPAN

1⅜–2 in (35–50 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
¾ in (20 mm)
ANGERONA PRUNARIA
ORANGE MOTH
484
(LINNAEUS, 1758)

The adult female Orange Moth lays up to 250 eggs in small
groups on the underside of leaves of the many host plants. The
well-camou aged caterpillar feeds on those leaves, completes a

couple of molts before overwintering, and becomes active again
the following spring. The larva pupates on the ground, spinning
a loose cocoon among fallen leaves.

The adult moths are on the wing from late May through
August. There is a single generation, with the largest numbers
of adults seen during the middle of summer, from mid-June
to mid-July. The species is relatively common across much
of its range, helped by the large number of host plants and
their widespread distribution. Angerona prunaria is considered
a pest, as the caterpillars feed on the leaves of fruit trees of the
genus Prunus, including cherry and plum, as well as soft fruits,
such as currants, gooseberries, and raspberries.

The Orange Moth caterpillar has a long and
slender body, which is slightly thicker beyond
the thorax. The eighth abdominal segment
bears a sharp dorsal tubercle, and there are
smaller tubercles on other segments. The
gray-brown color and slender shape create
a twiglike appearance that acts as the perfect
camou age among host plants.
Actual size