Oak Winter Highflier
Common NameOak Winter Highflier
Scientific NameConistra vaccinii
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyXyleninae
Wingspan (mm)33
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsgrey, brown, olive-green
HabitatDeciduous woodlands, parks, gardens, hedgerows
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, temperate Asia
Host Plantsoak, birch, willow, sallow, hawthorn, fruit trees
Flight PeriodSeptember to November, February to April
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesAdults emerge in autumn, overwinter, and become active again in early spring to mate and lay eggs. Larvae feed on the leaves of various deciduous trees and shrubs, then pupate in the soil.
Identification TipsLook for the characteristic mottled grey-brown forewings with faint darker bands and a slightly hooked apex. The flight period in late autumn and early spring is a key identifier, as it is one of the few moths active during these colder months.
Description
A medium-sized moth with mottled grey-brown forewings, often with a greenish or reddish tint, featuring indistinct darker transverse bands and stigmata. The hindwings are plain grey-brown.
