Bryophila domestica – This is indeed a beauty with its various marbled colouration. It ranges from greyish, greyish-green, green or dull orange in ground colour, or a slight mixture of these colours all with white. It has a wingspan of up to 25mm.
It can be seen from July to August, and is attracted to light. It is often attracted to my moth trap, and this is how I managed to photograph it the next day before releasing it. Often found resting on walls, fences, or tree trunks during the day. It is particularly well camouflaged on lichen covered trees. It is found in various habitats, from urban to suburban, calcareous woodland and coastal cliffs.
The caterpillars feed on lichen which grows on various substrates such as trees, walls and rocks. © Peter Hillman
Attracted to moth trap, rear garden, Staffordshire, July 2015.
Nature Journeys 