The adults are dark reddish-brown in colour with a whitish spot in the centre of the forewings and a whitish cross-line below. The females are larger than the males and have a tuft of grey hairs at the end of the abdomen which they use to cover the egg batches.

The adults are incapable of feeding. They fly at night and are occasionally attracted to light traps. The caterpillars can be found living in groups from April to July before they overwinter as pupae, sometimes spending two or three winters in the cocoon.

Size and Family

  • Family – Eggar moths (Lasiocampidae)
  • Medium Sized
  • Wingspan Range – 30-42mm

Conservation status

  • UK BAP: Not Listed
  • Nationally Scarce B

Caterpillar Food Plants

Mainly Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) but also sometimes elms, Spindle (Euonymus europaeus), Apple (Malus domestica) and Grey Willow (Salix cinerea)

Habitat

Hedgerows

Distribution

  • Countries – England, Wales and Ireland
  • Nationally Scarce B. Most frequent in Somerset and Dorset with scattered records around Oxfordshire, Norfolk, Lancashire, eastern parts of Wales and two localities in Northern Ireland.
Small Eggar (female) - Garry Barlow

Small Eggar (female)

Small Eggar

Small Eggar

Small Eggar

Small Eggar

Small Eggar (caterpillars) - Marcell Kárpáti

Small Eggar (caterpillars)

Small Eggar (caterpillars) - Garry Barlow

Small Eggar (caterpillars)

Small Eggar (caterpillar) - Marcell Kárpáti

Small Eggar (caterpillar)

Small Eggar (caterpillar) - Paul Davis

Small Eggar (caterpillar)

Small Eggar (cocoon) - Ilia Ustyantsev

Small Eggar (cocoon)