Thorn Moths - Geometridae

Thorns, a group of moths in the Geometridae family are medium sized and characterised by a distinctive deckled edge to their wings. They are varying shades of brown, with caterpillars that look like twigs and eat a wide variety of trees and shrubs. The moths often sit with their wings pulled up vertically over their bodies, like butterflies.

Lunar Thorn Selenia lunularia:
This species has particularly ragged wing edges. The adult moths are active from May to July in woods and hedgerows. They have a white crescent in the middle of all four wings (ie a lunule). The caterpillars feed on deciduous trees such as Oak Quercus spp and Birch Betula spp. The adults are attracted to lights and the photos below are of one in our bathroom, after it had entered an open window on a warm May night.