Common Quaker

Appearance

This is a variable species, the ground colour of the forewings ranging from greyish to orangey brown, sometimes with a broad dark band. The most distinctive features are two large stigmata, each edged by a narrow pale line, with a similarly coloured subterminal line. The hindwings are drab grey or brown.

The wingspan is 34–40 mm. Forewing reddish grey, more or less dusted with dark: inner and outer lines blackish, indistinct; orbicular and reniform stigmata ringed with ochreous; submarginal line ochreous preceded by a fuscous or rufous shade; claviform mostly unmarked; veins towards termen pale: hindwing grey, the fringe paler. The species varies according to the amount of red present; — ab. "pallida" Tutt is pale grey, sometimes with an ochreous flush; — "obliqua" Vill. is darker grey with markings clearer; — "suffusa" Tutt is an equally well marked blackish-grey form; of these grey forms the second only "obliqua" Vill. is common; on the other hand when the red tints predominate we get the form "rufa" Tutt, which is also rare; - in "junctus" Haw. the upper stigmata, usually separate, are coherent; this accidental connection occurs in all the forms occasionally: — in ab. "rufannulata" Haw. the stigmata are edged with, and the submarginal line is coloured rufous instead of ochreous.

Behavior

This moth flies at night in March and April and is attracted to light and sugar.

Larva green thickly dotted with yellowish white; all the lines yellowish white; anal segment with a yellowish-white cross bar; head green with black spots. It feeds on various trees and shrubs including apple, buckthorn, elm, oak, pear, poplar and willow as well as various "Prunus" species. The species overwinters as a pupa.

# ^ "The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range."