Species Details

ABH: 70.233

BF: 1912

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Ennomos quercinaria

Authority: (Hufnagel, 1767)

Vernacular: August Thorn

Account: Local in woodland, parks, hedgerows, scrubby downland and gardens throughout England and Wales, a species of conservation concern under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Widely distributed, but perhaps decreasing, in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Wingspan 42-50 mm. Probably easier to confuse with Dusky Thorn E. fuscantaria than September Thorn E. erosaria, which see, since a good proportion of August Thorn show dark shading between outer cross-line and outer edge of wing, the stated diagnostic feature for Dusky Thorn; the three species all show subtle differences in the way the outer cross-line meets the costa. Larva feeds on Pedunculate and Sessile Oak, over-wintering as an egg.

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: 42 — 50 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 24 Jun (2025) — 24 Sep (2011)

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

Foodplant: Polyphagous.

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

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP: BAP(R)

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/ennomos-quercinaria/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 218

Individuals: 107

Earliest Year: 1886

Latest Year: 2025

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