Lasiocampidae

66.007 Oak Eggar Lasiocampa quercus quercus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common S, C

Northern Eggar Lasiocampa quercus callunae Palmer, 1847

Common N, W

Similar species:

Forewing: M 25 to 34mm, F 33 to 40mm

Habitats: Woodland margins, scrub, hedgerows, breckland, heathland, moorland, downland, sea-cliffs, sand-dunes, marshes and fens.

Habits: The male flies zig-zags in sunshine searching for females, especially in the afternoon. The female flies from just before dusk and comes to light soon after.

Foodplant: The larva feeds on the leaves of Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hazel, sallows, Bramble, Ivy, privets, Sea-buckthorn, Heather, Broom, Bilberry and many other shrubs. The later instar larva enjoys basking in the spring sunshine. Its hairs are a skin irritant. It pupates in a strong brown cocoon in the leaf litter. The Northern Eggar has a two year lifecycle as it feeds up more slowly on Heather, spending its second winter as a pupa.