Page 505 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Geometridae
DISTRIBUTION Europe, except Iberia and Greece, into central Asia and Siberia
HABITAT Woodlands, hedgerows, parks, and gardens
HOST PLANTS Various deciduous trees, including birch (Betula spp.) and
oak (Quercus spp.)

NOTE Well-camou aged, twiglike caterpillar
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
1½–1¾ in (38–44 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
¾–1 in (20–25 mm)
SELENIA LUNULARIA
LUNAR THORN 503

(HÜBNER, 1788)

Lunar Thorn caterpillars hatch from small, round, red-colored
eggs laid on a large range of trees and shrubs on which the larvae
feed. They pupate on the plant, attaching to the underside of
leaves and branches. The pupa is bright green. There are two
generations annually, one in June and another in August and Actual size
September. The pupa of the second generation overwinters, and
the adults emerge in late spring. The moths are on the wing from
May to August.

The Lunar Thorn caterpillar has a long,
This species gets its common name from the white moon- slender body in shades of olive green,
yellow, and brown, banded to look like
shaped mark on the wings of the moth and the appearance of bark. Numerous tubercles in red and
the caterpillar, which resembles a thorny twig when at rest. The brown enhance the bark-like appearance.
The caterpillars vary in color.
caterpillar has a looping movement, and when at rest it grasps

the twig rmly with its posterior claspers, lifting up the rest of
its body to give the appearance of a twig.