Large emerald
The large emerald is a moth which is the type species for the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.Description
This is a large and attractive moth, which, as the specific name suggests, is very butterfly like. It has a wingspan of 50–65 mm. Newly emerged adults are bright green with darker green and white fascia, though the green colouration fades after a few days. The characteristic fascia take the form of three jagged, broken lines of white spots on the forewings, of which two semicircular rows continue over the hindwings. It flies at night from June to August and is attracted to light.Biology
The larva is brown at first, turning green later, and feeds mainly on birch though it has also been recorded on alder, beech, hazel and rowan. The species overwinters as a larva.Subspecies
