Insecta : Lepidoptera : LasiocampidaeButterflies and Moths

Poecilocampa populi (Linnaeus, 1758)

December Moth

Poecilocampa populi

Description: Wingspan 38-46mm. Adults have greyish brown forewings with a pale postmedian line. Hindwings paler with a diffused central band. Body dark brown and quite hairy. Males have larger feathery antenna. Early October to mid-January, most commonly encountered from mid-November onwards.

Irish Distribution: Widely distributed throughout N. Ireland, but more frequently recorded in south east.

Ecology: A moderately common species found in a variety of habitats, particularly woodland margins, clearings, bogs and gardens in small numbers. Adults (usually males) are attracted to light in small numbers. The larvae feed on the leaves of a variety of deciduous trees, such as oak, birch, and hawthorn. It overwinters as an egg, hatching in April.

Distribution Map from NBN: Poecilocampa populi at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Poecilocampa populi at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

 Thompson, R. & Nelson, B. (2023). Poecilocampa populi. (Linnaeus, 1758). [In] Moths of Northern Ireland.
https://habitas.org/moths/species.php?item=5700. Accessed on 2026-11-02.