website logo Lepidoptera Outer Hebrides

Family: Geometridae   Checklist Number: 70.252

Biston betularia   Linnaeus, 1758

Peppered Moth

Though widespread on the mainland only two records from the Outer Hebrides. A rather striking, large moth that has a blackish coloured form in industrial areas, though this type is now declining as atmospheric pollution decreases. Flies from May - August in wooded areas. Caterpillars feed upon a very wide range of trees and shrubs including birches (Betula), oaks (Quercus), poplars (Populus), bramble (Rubus) and broom (Cytisus scoparius)

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