Poplar Grey

Subacronicta megacephala

This record describes Subacronicta megacephala (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Wingspan 40-44 mm. One of several powdery-looking greyish moths which can be difficult to identify, this species has however a distinctly round whitish orbicular stigma with a darker centre, and whitish hind wings. The grey-brown caterpillar feeds on the leaves of Poplar, resting by day in a peculiar question-mark position with the head curled back. It is most common in the south of England, with the range extending into southern 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: Noctuidae
Genus: Subacronicta

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

Habitat and Range

Habitat

Various

Seasonal Activity

Flies from May to August.

Diet and Behavior

Life History

The grey-brown caterpillar feeds on the leaves of Poplar, resting by day in a peculiar question-mark position with the head curled back.

Additional species information

Recorded status

It is most common in the south of England, with the range extending into southern 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 Subacronicta megacephala. 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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