Gastropacha quercifolia, the lappet, is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae. It is found in Europe and east across the Palearctic to Japan.
The wingspan is 50–90 mm. Meyrick describes it thus - forewings with 9 to termen; red-brown, with purple-bluish gloss, towards costa blackish-mixed, dorsally ferruginous; first, second, and praesubterminal lines blackish-grey, waved, bent near costa; a blackish-grey discal mark; termen waved-dentate. Hindwings as forewings, but lines indistinct, straight, costal area ferruginous, with about six blackish pseudoneuria; 8 connected with cell by long bar. Larva dark grey or brown; whitish dorsal marks on 3 and 4; 2nd and 3rd incisions deep indigo-blue; a prominence on 1 2; a subspiracular series of tubercles and fringe of pale hairs.Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf
The larvae feed on Crataegus, Prunus spinosa, willow and oak.
Subspecies Gastropacha quercifolia quercifolia (Linnaeus, 1758) Gastropacha quercifolia mekongensis de Lajonquière, 1976 Gastropacha quercifolia thibetana de Lajonquière, 1976
References
External links
Lappet at UKMoths Lepiforum.de