66.003 Malacosoma (Trichodia) neustria (Lackey)
fw: m13-16mm, f16-21mm; Jul-Aug; broadleaved trees and shrubs, mainly rosaceous; common in England & Wales, local in S.Scotland
ID: colour varies from pale yellow to reddish-brown; two cross-lines on forewing with no white central spot; fringes chequered.
Very similar to M.castrensis (Ground Lackey); the following features can be used to distinguish these species.
Very similar to M.castrensis (Ground Lackey); the following features can be used to distinguish these species.
- Habitat: M.castrensis is confined to saltmarsh and coastal shingle in SE.England.
- First cross-line: In M.neustria more or less parallel with second cross-line; in M.castrensis the first cross-line is kinked in its costal half so that the median fascia has a corresponding narrowing (this being much less obvious in the female), and the dorsal portion of the first cross-line curves towards the wing base.
- Forewing fringes: In M.neustria chequered brown and yellowish, in M.castrensis chequered brown and buff showing less contrast.
- Hindwing colour: In M.neustria either concolorous with the forewing or paler; in M.castrensis either concolorous or darker.
- Hindwing fringes: In M.neustria chequered with the darker colour darker than the wing; in M.castrensis chequered with the darker colour concolorous with the wing.
§1 Westclif-on-sea, Essex; 05/07/2008; male
§2 Foulness, Essex; 06/07/2008; male
§3 Foulness, Essex; 06/07/2008; male
§4 Foulness, Essex; 13/07/2008; male
§5 Foulness, Essex; 27/06/2010; male
§6 Foulness, Essex; 24/08/2019; male; fw 12.3mm
§7 Orlestone Forest, Kent; 07/07/2019; male; fw 14.2mm
§8 Foulness, Essex; 23/07/2022; female; fw 22.2mm
§9 Foulness, Essex; 23/07/2022; female; fw 20.8mm
§10 Foulness, Essex; 23/07/2022; female
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Foulness, Essex; 06/07/2008; male
§3 Foulness, Essex; 06/07/2008; male
§4 Foulness, Essex; 13/07/2008; male
§5 Foulness, Essex; 27/06/2010; male
§6 Foulness, Essex; 24/08/2019; male; fw 12.3mm
§7 Orlestone Forest, Kent; 07/07/2019; male; fw 14.2mm
§8 Foulness, Essex; 23/07/2022; female; fw 22.2mm
§9 Foulness, Essex; 23/07/2022; female; fw 20.8mm
§10 Foulness, Essex; 23/07/2022; female
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 05/11/2014 (§1-5) | §6 added 09/09/2019 | §7 added 31/01/2020