David Element
Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images
____________________________________________________________________Moths
94 – Puss Moths
PUSS
MOTH Cerura vinula
(m)
·
The beautifully marked and distinctive Puss Moth Cerula
vinula (Notodontidae, Notodontinae) may be more familiar to many in its larval form as
the caterpillars are large, conspicuous, brightly marked, and prone to adopting
threat postures if approached! The moths are large and unlikely to be mistaken
for any other species. The adults are sexually dimorphic, and the larger females
have darker hindwings (and sometimes forewings) than their male counterparts. They
are also likely to be seen less often than the males. The larvae may be found
on Poplars Populus spp., Willows
Salix spp., and
conveniently for those observers with no head for heights, they are said to
favour regrowth of Goat
Willow S. caprea and Aspen P. tremula following pruning or natural sucker growth. This is
certainly advantageous if the trees that they inhabit are being pollarded regularly. The above photograph has been scanned
from an old transparency.
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