Philudoria potatoria
| Drinker | |
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| Euthrix potatoria. Male | |
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| Female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lasiocampidae |
| Genus: | Euthrix |
| Species: | E. potatoria |
| Binomial name | |
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Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Euthrix potatoria, the drinker, is an orange-brown moth of the family Lasiocampidae.
The species' common and scientific names derive from the larva's supposed drinking of drops of dew.
Subspecies include:
This species can be found in Europe. The drinker moth is most frequently found in marshy places, fens and riversides but may also be seen in drier, grassy terrain.
The species is fairly common in the southern half of Britain. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
The VC55 Status is fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland, but possibly declining. L&R Moth Group status is common and resident.
The imago has a wingspan of 45–65 mm. The yellowish females are slightly larger than the orange-brown male but both sexes usually show the two distinctive white spots on the forewing. Females have slightly serrated antennae, while male have deeply combed antennae.
The fully grown larva is about 6 cm long, hairy, striped and spotted, with distinctive tufts fore and aft. Larvae hibernate while young and resume feeding in the spring, pupating in a cocoon during the summer.
This nocturnal moth flies from June to August depending on the location. Males especially are attracted to light. The females lay their eggs in small clusters, mainly on the stem of grasses or reeds. The larvae feed on various grasses and reeds (Alopecurus, Deschampsia, Dactylis, Elytrigia, Carex, Luzula and other Gramineae).
Hibernating larva
Caterpillar
Caterpillar (ventral)
Mounted specimen. Male
Female
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Wikipedia