Grey Birch

Aethalura punctulata

This record describes Aethalura punctulata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Wingspan 30 to 35 mm. This species has a mottled grey ground colour and three darker transverse lines. Frequents wooded habitats especially where Birch is present. Birch is the main foodplant, but occasionally Alder is used. Fairly common over much of England and Wales, scarcer and more local in Ireland and Scotland. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Aethalura

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Habitat

Frequents wooded habitats especially where Birch is present.

Seasonal Activity

The adults fly in May and June.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

Birch is the main foodplant, but occasionally Alder is used.

Additional species information

Recorded status

Fairly common over much of England and Wales, scarcer and more local in Ireland and Scotland. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.

About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group

Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Aethalura punctulata. 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.

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