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Welcome to Daves Moth and Butterfly World -
Species Name: Drinker Moth

Welcome to Dave McCormick's Moth and Butterfly World. Here is information on the The Drinker (Euthrix potatoria). Hear Scientific Name Sound

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Information

This species gets its English (and Latin) name from the habits of the caterpillar, which is supposed to drink drops of dew.

This moth flies from June to August depending on the location. It is found in Europe and the UK.  In Northern Ireland this moth is widespread. It is distributed in north Armagh, Fermanagh and Tyrone. In Down it is found mainly in the east of the county and at the Mourne Mountains. It is commonly found at the Argory, Oxford Island and Peatlands Park as well as the Crom, Garvary Wood and Rehaghy Mountains.

Similar Species

Pine-tree Lappet (Dendrolimus pini), Small Lappet (Phyllodesma ilicifolia).

Known Aberrations

To be completed

Adult Images

The wingspan of this moth is 45–65 mm.

Male is normally reddish brown with yellow patches. Females can be deep yellow to very pale buff coloured. The female are slightly larger than the male, but both sexes usually show the two distinctive white spots on the forewing. The males especially are attracted to light more so than females.

To tell the difference between this moth and other large eggars, there is a outer cross line on forewing which runs diagonally to wing-tip and they have an additional small white spot near middle edge of wing.

Adult Images
Image/Page Link Date Taken  Taken By
Drinker Moth

Information  

Location: Mountstewart, Co Down, Northern Ireland.

I have never seen this moth before and it was a first for me. It must have came through the open window in one of the rooms in our house the night before because I found this in my dads drill box. I have never recorded this moth in Mountstewart. This was taken with my Canon 400D and Sigma 105mm Macro. Taken on 28/06/2009.

 
Drinker Moth

Information  

Location: Mountstewart, Co Down, Northern Ireland.

I have never seen this moth before and this shot is why people sometimes refer to this moth as the "mole moth" because of the nose like thing that you can see in this shot. This was taken with my Canon 400D and Sigma 105mm Macro. Taken on 28/06/2009.

 
 28/06/2009 David McCormick

Mating Images

None

Caterpillar Images

The caterpillar feeds on various grasses and reeds. They enter hibernation in the autumn and reappear in the spring when they can be often found exposed on grass stalks.

Pupae Images

Pupation takes place inside a yellowish papery-like cocoon that is prominently formed on grass stems and can persist long after the adult emerges.

Forms Pages

Obscura
Pallada

Subspecies Pages

None 

Aberrations

None

Videos Pages

None

References

http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=2149 - The Drinker - (c) 2009, Ian Kimbler

Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (Revised edition) - Paul Waring and Martian Townsend (c) 2003, 2009

The Butterflies and Moths of Northern Ireland - (c) 2006, Robert Thompson, Brian Nelson

Page last edited: 14/09/2009 19:25

(c) David McCormick 2009