Species Details

ABH: 65.005

BF: 1648

Family: Drepanidae

Subfamily: Drepaninae

Taxon: Drepana falcataria

=Drepana falcataria falcataria

=Drepana falcataria scotica

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Pebble Hook-tip

Account: Common in woodland, especially of birch, heathland and gardens throughout Britain, female 40-43 mm. In Scotland moths are distinctly straw-coloured with outer markings darker (ssp. scotica), elsewhere, occasional individuals can be very pale (f. pallida), but only likely to be confused with Dusky Hook-tip D. curvatula, a rare immigrant from Europe, which is darker and has the three discal spots roughly the same size (in falcataria, the outer discal spot is much larger then the other two). Larva feeds on Downy and Silver Birch, over-wintering as a pupa.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: male 36 — 40 mm; female 40 — 43 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 6 Apr (2014) — 12 Sep (2005)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Alnus glutinosa (Alder), Betula sp. (a birch).

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/drepana-falcataria/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1233

Individuals: 487

Earliest Year: 1864

Latest Year: 2025

« Previous Random 🎲 Next »