Cossus cossus

Cossus cossus
Goat Moth
Cossus cossus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Cossidae
Genus: Cossus
Species: C. cossus
Binomial name
Cossus cossus
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The Goat Moth (Cossus cossus) is a moth of the family Cossidae. It is found in Europe.

This is a large heavy moth with a wingspan of 68–96 mm. The wings are greyish brown and marked with fine dark cross lines. The moth flies from April to August depending on the location.

The caterpillars feed in the trunks and branches of a wide variety of trees (see list below), taking three or four years to mature.

Recorded food plants

References

  • Goat Moth at UKmoths
  • Skinner, Bernard (1984). Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles. Viking Press. p. 3. ISBN 0-670-80354-5. 
  • Waring, Paul; Martin Townsend (2003). Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing. p. 23. ISBN 0 9531399 2 1. 

  • Caterpillar

  • Illustrated Caterpillar

  • Willow with Caterpillars

  • Caterpillars

  • Pupa

  • Illustrated Pupa

  • Illustrated adult

  • Mounted

  • Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 5


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