Nine-spotted Moth

Amata phegea · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae

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The nine-spotted moth has a wingspan of about 35 to 40 mm and its caterpillars grow to roughly 5 cm long. Adults fly in warm, sunny weather from late May through August, while the larvae appear in early August and feed on many low herbaceous plants. It lives in dry, open habitats with shrubs or trees, is a rare immigrant to the UK, and is native to southern Europe extending to northern Germany, Anatolia, the Caucasus, and now India.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

The moth’s wings are dark blue-black or green-black with a metallic shine and bear six white spots on each forewing and two or three on each hindwing.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Wingspan ranges from 35 to 40 mm (1.4 to 1.6 in). Caterpillars can reach about 5 cm (2 in) in length.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

Prefers dry, open areas with shrubs, trees, open forests, and sunny slopes.

Source: Wikipedia

What it eats

Females lay eggs on many herb species, and the larvae feed on a variety of low plants such as plantain, sorrel, bedstraw, grasses, dandelion and others.

Source: Wikipedia

Life cycle

The species produces one generation each year. Caterpillars hibernate in a silk nest and pupate in May within ground cocoons.

Source: Wikipedia

When you see it

Larvae hatch in early August and feed on various herbaceous plants.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

Mainly found in southern Europe, reaching up to northern Germany and eastward to Anatolia and the Caucasus. It has also been recorded in India in recent times.

Source: Wikipedia