Poplar Grey
Common NamePoplar Grey
Scientific NameAcronicta megacephala
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyAcronictinae
Wingspan (mm)38
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsgrey, black, white
HabitatWoodlands, parks, gardens, and areas with poplars and willows
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, and parts of Asia
Host PlantsPopulus (poplar, aspen), Salix (willow), Alnus (alder), Betula (birch)
Flight PeriodMay to August (often two broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesThe larva is hairy, greyish-brown with yellow markings and a white stripe, feeding on the leaves of host trees. It pupates in a cocoon, often incorporating wood fragments, in bark crevices or underground.
Identification TipsLook for the distinctive mottled grey forewings with a prominent black dagger-like mark near the base and clear, dark-outlined orbicular and reniform stigmata. The overall pattern provides excellent camouflage against tree bark.
Description
A medium-sized moth with mottled grey and black forewings, featuring prominent dark markings including a kidney-shaped reniform stigma and a circular orbicular stigma. The hindwings are paler grey.
