| Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria (Linnaeus, 1761)) |
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Scientific name: Colotois pennaria (Linnaeus, 1761) Common name: Feathered Thorn French name: Himère plume Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Geometridae Subfamily: Ennominae Wingspan: 35-45 mm Biotope: Moorlands and forests. Geographic area: Europe to Asia Minor. Flight time: September to November Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Greyish to brownish with black and ochre markings and a paler reddish-brown head. It has two typical red growths on top of the eighth segment. Host plant: Some broad-leaved trees: Oak (Quercus), Birch (Betula), Willow (Salix), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). |
Only the males bare the long feathery antennae from which this species got its name. The wings are more or less dark reddish-brown. They are crossed by two dark stripes and bare some small dark spots. The Feathered Thorn over winters as a caterpillar. |
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Maybe this Feathered Thorn entered into the house to spend here its last days. I freed it outside after some photos but it wasn't very vigorous any more. |
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The species identification is here based on the red growths you can see on the upper side of the eighth segment. |
André Bon March 2021