Feathered Thorn
Common NameFeathered Thorn
Scientific NameColotois pennaria
FamilyGeometridae
SubfamilyEnnominae
Wingspan (mm)55
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsorange, brown, grey
HabitatWoodlands, hedgerows, parks, gardens
Geographic RangeEurope, parts of Asia
Host Plantsoak, birch, hawthorn, sallow, fruit trees
Flight PeriodSeptember to November
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in autumn and hatch in spring. Larvae are twig-like, feeding from spring to early summer, then pupating underground.
Identification TipsLook for its distinctive autumn flight period, robust body, broad wings with two dark cross-lines, and notably feathered antennae in males. Its cryptic coloration helps it blend with dead leaves.
Description
A robust, medium-sized moth with broad, somewhat pointed forewings, typically reddish-brown to orange-brown, mottled with two prominent darker cross-lines and a small discal spot, and paler hindwings.
