The Vapourer
Orgyia antiqua
This record describes Orgyia antiqua (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 25-30 mm. Males are chestnut brown with a white spot on each wing. The females are virtually wingless, an attribute normally associated with winter-emerging species. Urban gardens and parks, open woodland, fens, hedgerows, heathland and moorland. An unusual species in many ways, the males fly during the day. The adults are out from July to September, sometimes October in the south. The female lays her eggs on what remains of the pupal cocoon, which then overwinter. When hatched, the very hairy caterpillars feed on a range of deciduous trees and shrubs. The species is fairly common, especially in suburban habitats, over much of Britain, but more so in the south. 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 (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Lymantriinae
- Tribe
- Orgyiini
- Genus
- Orgyia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Urban gardens and parks, open woodland, fens, hedgerows, heathland and moorland.
Seasonal Activity
An unusual species in many ways, the males fly during the day. The adults are out from July to September, sometimes October in the south.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The female lays her eggs on what remains of the pupal cocoon, which then overwinter. When hatched, the very hairy caterpillars feed on a range of deciduous trees and shrubs.
Additional species information
Recorded status
The species is fairly common, especially in suburban habitats, over much of Britain, but more so in the south. 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 Orgyia antiqua. 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 The Vapourer (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About The Vapourer
What is The Vapourer?
The Vapourer (Orgyia antiqua) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is The Vapourer found?
Habitat: Urban gardens and parks, open woodland, fens, hedgerows, heathland and moorland.
When is The Vapourer active?
The Vapourer: seasonal activity - An unusual species in many ways, the males fly during the day. The adults are out from July to September, sometimes October in the south..
What is the life cycle of a The Vapourer?
The female lays her eggs on what remains of the pupal cocoon, which then overwinter. When hatched, the very hairy caterpillars feed on a range of deciduous trees and shrubs.