White Satin Moth (Leucoma salicis) Freshly Emerged

Photographed on the Tuesday 09 June 2015.
This image was taken locally at Ainsdale LNR where the White Satin (Leucoma salicis) moth feeds, mates and lays eggs on the dwarf willow scrub around dune slacks. Moths belong to the Class Insecta, Order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), Family Eribidae, Subfamily Lymantriinae and Genus Leucoma. It is the glossy surface of the wing that gives rise to the English name. It is classed as local moth but may be found in good numbers where it does occur such as here at Ainsdale. The colourful caterpillars have whitish heart-shaped blotches and feed on willow, poplars, aspen and sallows. The legs are quite striking with black and white rings and the male feathered antennae are also quite well developed and striking. This image appears to depict a female that has just emerged and has now climbed higher into the vegetation to pump its wings up and dry them. They are weak flyers and will not stray to far from this location, often mating within a few metres of where they emerge here at Ainsdale where you can also see all life stages at times in one day. It is found in Europe and now North America and Canada where it was introduced.
More information can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucoma_salicis
http://www.forestpests.org/vermont/satinmoth.html
http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/leucoma-salicis/
http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/white-satin-moth

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