70.266 BF1942

Dotted Carpet Alcis jubata

(Thunberg, 1788)

Wingspan 28-33 mm.

A local species, occurring in a range of scattered localities, mainly in south-west England and Wales and parts of Scotland, but also in a number of other places throughout Britain.

It inhabits mature deciduous woodland where lichen covers the trunks and branches of the trees.

Here the moths can rest unseen with their superb cryptic camouflage.

The larvae are bright green with large black dots and feed on lichens such as beard lichen (Usnea barbata).