Fox Moth Macrothylacia rubi

Macrothylacia rubi, a member of the Lasiocampidae family and commonly known as the Fox Moth. It has a wide distribution across the UK and can be found in open woodland, moors, bogs, heaths and coastal dunes. The caterpillars feed primarily on bilburry, bramble and heather and can be seenon open ground near their coastal habitat prior to hibernatiopn in leaf litter over the winter. Adults are on the wing between May-July and display sexual dimorphism-females are slightly larger than the males and are not as brightly coloured, tending to be more grey/brown than red/brown.