Marbled Brown Drymonia dodonaea
The Marbled Brown is another obvious Prominent Moth. It is fairly big (wingspan up to 45 mm), it holds its front feet stretched out when in rest and it is hairy. The Marbled Brown is extremely variable too. Often seen in a greyish brown colour with lots of white patches (forma trimacula). Other variations seen are brownish animals or blackish, melanistic ones (forma nigrescens). On the wing from the end of May to the beginning of July. Males readily come to light, females seldom. Actually the females are hardly ever seen. Like all other Prominents the adult moths do not eat. The caterpillars are found on oak only. The Marbled Brown is a very local species, found as far north as Western Scotland. Very rare in Ireland, though.
