| Drinker (Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
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Scientific name: Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Drinker Other names: Other scientific name: Philudoria potatoria. French name: Buveuse, Bombyx buveur Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Lasiocampidae Subfamily: Lasiocampinae Wingspan: 45-65 mm. Biotope: Damp meadows, reed beds, heath lands, forests and clearings. It prefers damp habitats. Geographic area: From western Europe to Japan. Flight time: July-August. Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Up to 75 mm long. The body is grey, slightly bluish on the back and black on the sides. There are two rows of tufts of black hairs on top of the back. The sides of the body show reddish orange marks, tufts of white hairs and tufts of orange hairs. The mesothorax and the eighth segment of the abdomen bear longer raised tufts of black hairs. This caterpillar is used to drinking drops of dew on the vegetation. The common name of this species comes from this habit. Host plant: Carex and Graminae like the Common Reed (Phragmites australis) or the Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). |
Females are pale yellow while males are dark reddish brown. The Drinker has a hairy body. Males have feathery antennae. The forewings show two oblique dark lines and two white spots circled with dark brown. The Drinker over winters as a larva at an intermediate development state. |
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You could not miss this big-size caterpillar. Next time I will try to put drops of water on its path and watch. |
André Bon June 2009