Frosted Green
Polyploca ridens
This record describes Polyploca ridens (species). Recorded family: Drepanidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 30 to 35 mm. Rather distinctive, being predominantly dark green with prominent tufts on the thorax and varying amounts of black and greenish white marbling on the forewings. A good photograph is generally required to support your record. Attracted easily to light, the adults fly quite early in the year, in April and May. Oak is the foodplant of the caterpillars. Distributed in the southern half of England and Wales, this species is becomes scarcer further north. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as local.
Wikipedia reference for Polyploca ridens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyploca ridens.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Drepanoidea
- Family
- Drepanidae (Hooktip and False Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Thyatirinae
- Genus
- Polyploca
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Found in mature oak woods.
Seasonal Activity
Attracted easily to light, the adults fly quite early in the year, in April and May.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Oak is the foodplant of the caterpillars.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed in the southern half of England and Wales, this species is becomes scarcer further north. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as local.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Polyploca ridens. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Frosted Green (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Frosted Green
What is Frosted Green?
Frosted Green (Polyploca ridens) is a species in the family Drepanidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Frosted Green found?
Habitat: Found in mature oak woods.
When is Frosted Green active?
Frosted Green: seasonal activity - Attracted easily to light, the adults fly quite early in the year, in April and May..
What is the life cycle of a Frosted Green?
Oak is the foodplant of the caterpillars.