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Emperor Moth - Photograph by Kelly Thomas

Emperor Moth

April - May. Widely distributed in Britain and Ireland. The male, which is brown, has feathery antennae. The female is grey. Both have eyespots. Swift flight means that this moth can be mistaken for a butterfly.

ResidentEmperor Moth (female) - Photograph by Roy Leverton

The female and male of this magnificent moth are significantly different from each other in appearance.  The female is larger with slightly different markings, has a paler colouring than the male and the antennae are not feathered. 

Common throughout most parts of mainland Britain, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Orkney, the Hebrides and Ireland.

Males fly rapidly on sunny days and may be mistaken for a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly.  Females rest by day in low vegetation.

Conservation status

  • UK Biodiversity Action Plan: Not listed
  • UK status: Common

European/world range

Widespread throughout Europe extending from Portugal to eastern Siberia, including Scandinavia and to Greece in the south.

Caterpillar foodplants

Feeds on woody plants including heathers, Bramble, hawthorns, Blackthorn, Meadowsweet, sallows and birches.

Habitat

Occurs in a wide variety of habitats with scrubby vegetation including heathland and moorland in particular, as well as downland, fens, hedgerows, field margins, woodland rides and mature sand-dunes.