Yellow-tail Euproctis similis
The Yellow-tail is another Tussock Moth seen in our garden regularly. The larvae has brushes of hairs, but they are extremely long indeed. It can be found during the major part of the year (from September to May), for the species overwinters as such. The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of shrubs and trees, including oak, hawthorn and sallow. The adult moth is white and extremely hairy, rather looking like a Woolly Bear species. On the top two pictures you'll see males of the Yellow-tail. Males are all white, except for three brownish or black spots near the top of the wings. The second picture from the top tells you why the animal is called the Yellow-tail. In the middle pictures the snow white female. She lacks the black dot. The caterpillar is depicted in the bottom pictures. Rather common throughout Europe, but often a kind of local species, rare in Scotland and scarce in Ireland. Having a wingspan of no more than 45 mm, the Yellow-tail is not a very big species, flying from the end of June to August. This species is also known as Sphrageidus similis scientifically.
