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Mila'sExotic Plants & CuriositiesA living collection by Luminary OdditiesLuminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Gastropacha quercifolia
Lepidoptera / Lasiocampidae
Gastropacha quercifolia resembles a cluster of dry leaves when its russet wings overlap at rest. Its large, hairy caterpillar carries a row of fleshy, fringed lobes along the sides—the lappets that give the moth its English name.
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Orange- to purplish-brown wings have deeply scalloped margins, continuous cross-lines and projecting palps. [1]
Females are larger; adults span approximately 50–90 mm. [2]
The range extends from western Europe to China, Korea and Japan. Dutch populations chiefly inhabit peatlands and wet heath. [1]
British records concentrate in the south and southeast. [2]
Dutch populations have one annual generation, flying from June to early August. Young larvae overwinter; pupation occurs in a firm cocoon attached to low vegetation. [1]
Dutch hosts include willow, alder buckthorn and rowan. [1]
British caterpillars also feed on hawthorn and blackthorn. [2]
Adults fly nocturnally. Larger larvae feed at night and rest low against trunks during the day. [1]
The grey, dark-speckled caterpillar has blue-and-black thoracic bands and fleshy, hairy lateral lobes. It reaches approximately 80 mm. [1]
Quercifolia refers to the oak-leaf resemblance, rather than an exclusive host. “Lappet” names the caterpillar’s lateral lobes. [2]
Germany’s 2011 national assessment lists Gastropacha quercifolia as Vulnerable and records a strong long-term population decline. [3]
Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.
De Vlinderstichting · Accessed 2026-10-13
Ian Kimber, UKMoths · Accessed 2026-10-13
German Red List Centre; Rennwald, Sobczyk and Hofmann (2011) · Accessed 2026-10-13
Sources checked 2026-10-13. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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