Large emerald moth

Large Emerald
Scientific classification
: Eukaryota : Animalia : Metazoa : Arthropoda : Insecta : Pterygota : Neoptera : Endopterygota : Lepidoptera : Ditrysia Division: Macrolepidoptera : Geometroidea : Geometridae : Geometrinae : Geometrini Genus: Geometra Species: papilionaria
Binomial name
Geometra papilionaria Linnaeus, 1758

The Large Emerald, (Geometra papilionaria), is a moth, the type specimen for the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East.

This is a large and attractive species, as the specific name suggests very butterfly like, with a wingspan of 50-65 mm. Newly emerged adults are bright green with darker green and white fascia, though the green colouration fades after a few days. It flies at night from June to August and is attracted to light.

The larva is brown at first, turning green later, and feeds mainly on birch though it has also been recorded on alder, beech and hazel. The species overwinters as a larva.

References

Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)

Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984