| Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii (Linnaeus, 1761)) |
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Scientific name: Conistra vaccinii (Linnaeus, 1761) Common name: Chestnut French name: Orrhodie de l'Airelle, Robuste. Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Noctuidae Subfamily: Hadeninae Wingspan: 28-36 mm. Biotope: Open woodlands, woodland edges, parks and gardens. Geographic area: Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. Flight time: Winter species which can emerge between September and May. Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Brown with white dots and two thin lateral pale lines above darker ones. The upper side of the head is dark brown with three white lines. Host plant: Deciduous trees including Birches (Betula sp.) and Oaks (Quercus sp.) |
The Chestnut is a rather variable winter moth. The ground colour of the wings is generally reddish brown but you can also find more greyish forms. The fore wings are usually held one partially over the other when at rest. Species identification is often based on the shape of the fore wing. The apex is rounded. The inner edge of the wing draws a long curve. The outer edge is also curved but a little less. The Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) has a very angulous apex on the fore wings and the outer edge has a straight shape. The Chestnut is attracted to light. |
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I have seen something moving in the heap of dead leaves I was raking in the garden. Observations of moths are becoming rarer in October. The reflections of the flash light on the wings make a poor picture but the shape of the fore wings is enough to recognize the Chestnut species. |
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The colour of this moth provides a good camouflage among dead leaves. |
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I have lifted this Chestnut up on a dead leaf to shoot a picture of the side view. |
André Bon January 2012