UKMoths Goat Moth Cossus cossus - Distribution map
Please note that the NBN Gateway map service has been terminated as of 1 April 2017.
As soon as a replacement map service is available, distribution maps will hopefully appear here again.
In the meantime, you can get some idea of distribution from the NBN Atlas website.
50.001 BF162
Goat Moth Cossus cossus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan 68-96 mm.
The Goat Moth gets its English name from the strong 'goaty' odour of the caterpillar.
The caterpillar burrows into the trunks of various deciduous trees, and feeds on the wood. Because of the long digestion period required for this food matter, the larvae often live for up to five years before pupating.
The adults fly in June and July and are among the heaviest of British moths. It is locally widespread in the south, and scarcer further north in Britain.
More images
