Light Emerald

The Light Emerald is an attractive pale green moth, with a blood-red tip on the forewing. Newly emerged adults have pale green wings with two white lines on the forewing and one on the hindwing. The green colour fades over time and older moths tend to be almost pure white.

The adult Light Emerald can be seen between July and September. The larvae can be seen from mid-August to the following May or June, overwintering lying flat against the stems of the foodplant. The caterpillars feed on a variety of trees, including apple, beech, birch, elm, hawthorn, hazel, horse chestnut, sweet chestnut and oak. There can be one or two broods produced each year.

The Light Emerald is a night flying moth and is attracted to light. They are often disturbed during the day from the underside of tree and shrub leaves.

It is quite commonly distributed across England, Wales and lowland Scotland.