Prominent Moths - Notodontidae

The Notodontidae family of moths is often called the Prominents, because so many species have tufts of hair at the back of the wings which stick up when the moth is at rest. They are usually dark, dull colours but their subtle patterns give them a quiet beauty.

Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis
This species can be distinguished from other lookalike Drymonia spp by the black crescent in the white patch. The adults are active in April-May, caterpillars eat oak leaves. A quite common inhabitant of broadleaf woodland.

Lunar Marbled Brown found in the street, Preuilly-sur-Claise, April.

Figure of Eight Diloba caeruleocephala
The moth's forewing has a marking that looks like an 8. It is found in hedgerows, woodland fringes and gardens in September - November. The caterpillars feed on Blackthorn Prunus spinosa, Hawthorns Crataegus spp and related plants such as Apples Malus spp. The moths are attracted to light and are fairly common. Once again, the distribution shown on the INPN map must reflect recorders rather than the real distribution of the moth in France.

Figure of Eight caterpillar on Hawthorn along a wooded farm track in the Brenne, May.