Bug FAQSwallow-tailed Moth
Ourapteryx sambucaria · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
The swallow-tailed moth is a large moth with a wingspan of about 50 to 62 mm and looks almost like a butterfly. Adults are bright white to pale yellow with faint buffish bands and have pointed hind-wing tips marked with brownish spots. It is common across Europe and the Near East, flying at night in June and July.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The hindwing has pointed projections on the termen with brownish spots at their base, giving the moth its common name.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth is large, with a wingspan of 50 to 62 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species overwinters as a larva.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly at night during June and July in the British Isles; timing may vary elsewhere.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes Europe and the Near East.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Its common name comes from the pointed hindwing projections with brownish spots at their base.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on elder, hawthorn, honeysuckle, ivy and other trees and shrubs.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Willow BeautyPeribatodes rhomboidaria
Pale BeautyCampaea perlataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Lace-border MothScopula limboundataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Riband WaveIdaea aversata
Yellow Shell MothCamptogramma bilineata
Large Maple Spanworm MothProchoerodes lineolaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallow-tailed_moth
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.