Euthrix potatoria

Euthrix potatoria, the drinker, is an orange-brown moth of the family Lasiocampidae.^[1]

Euthrix potatoria
Male
Female
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lasiocampidae
Genus:	Euthrix
Species:	E. potatoria
Binomial name
Euthrix potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Philudoria potatoria

Caterpillar

The species' common and scientific names derive from the larva's supposed drinking of drops of dew.^[2]

Name

The scientific name Euthryx potatoria was given to this moth by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. In choosing the name potatoria 'drinker-like', he was inspired by the Dutch entomologist Johannes Goedaert, who had called the animal dronckaerdt 'drunkard' "because it is very much inclined to drinking".^[3] This remark refers to the moth's habit of repeatedly plunging its head into the water.^[4] The English name drinker (moth) also refers to Goedaert's analogy.

Subspecies

Subspecies include:^[1]

• Euthrix potatoria mikado Bryk
• Euthrix potatoria potatoria (Linnaeus, 1758)

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in Europe.^[5] The species is fairly common in the southern half of Britain.^{[citation needed]} In Scotland, it is common in the west but not in the east of the country.^[6] It is most frequently found in marshy places, fens and riversides but may also be seen in drier, grassy terrain.^[7][8]

Description

Imago

The imago has a wingspan of 45–65 mm. The yellowish females are slightly larger than the orange-brown male but both sexes usually show the two distinctive white spots on the forewing.^[8] Females have slightly serrated antennae, while male have deeply combed antennae.^[9]

Larvae and pupae

The fully grown larva is about 6 cm long, hairy, striped and spotted, with distinctive tufts fore and aft. Larvae hibernate while young and resume feeding in the spring, pupating in a cocoon during the summer.^[7]

Biology

This nocturnal moth flies from June to August depending on the location. Males especially are attracted to light.^[7][8] The females lay their eggs in small clusters, mainly on the stem of grasses or reeds.^[9] The larvae feed on various grasses and reeds (Alopecurus, Deschampsia, Dactylis, Elymus (syn. Elytrigia), Carex, Luzula and other Gramineae).^[10]

Gallery

• 
  Drinker moth caterpillar eating grass.
• 
  Caterpillar
• 
  Caterpillar (ventral)
• 
• 
  Mounted specimen. Male
• 
  Female