Lasiocampa trifolii (D. & S.) Grass Eggar
? Vagrant, very rare. 22 The Naze, August 1948 (GHBS). This is the only admissible Essex
record: it is thought that the locality "Romford" given by Knaggs (1873) is a misprint for Romney
(Kent).
Lasiocampa quercus (Linn.) Oak Eggar
p46. Resident, still widespread and locally fairly common, but has declined.
Macrothylacia rubi (Linn.) Fox Moth
p47. Resident, now local and generally scarce.
Philudoria potatoria (Linn.)
p47. Resident, widespread and common.
The Drinker
Gastropacha quercifolia (Linn.)
p47. Resident, widespread and locally fairly common.
The Lappet
SATURNIIDAE
The emperor and silkmoths include some of the world's largest moths. There is only one British
species. The haustellum is rudimentary and the hindwing lacks a frenulum. The males fly by day. The
larva bears tufts of hairs arising from tubercles; it feeds mainly on rosaceous plants and heather. The
pupa (the overwintering stage) is surrounded by a strong oval cocoon of silk.
Saturnia pavonia (Linn.) Emperor Moth
p47. Resident, widespread and locally fairly common, but has declined.
DREPANIDAE
A family of very small to (barely) medium-sized, slender-bodied moths. The name 'hook-tip' refers to
the wing apex which is prolonged into a hook in most species. There is a frenulum on the hindwing
The adult moths cannot drink. The larvae lack anal claspers (the posterior pair of prolegs) and rest
with the pointed tip of the abdomen turned up. Most species are monophagous on trees and are
bivoltine (two generations a year). They overwinter in the pupal stage. Five of the six British species
are resident in Essex.
Falcaria lacertinaria (Linn.) (Drepana lacertinaria)
p48. Resident, widespread and locally common
Scalloped Hook-tip
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