Lepidoptera The Poplar Grey Moth – Acronycta Megacephala
This is also a very common moth, to be found in all the southern and midland counties, wherever poplars abound, during June and July.
Its fore wings are grey, marbled with a very dark grey. A little inside the middle of these wings, near the costa, is a round spot with a dark centre. This spot is represented in a large number of the Noctua, and is known as the orbicular. It will be observed that in the present species it is very distinct.
The caterpillar is dark grey, with a line of black dots down the back; and it has a number of little warts, bearing hairs. On the back of the eleventh segment is a rather large pale spot. It feeds during August on various species of poplar, and changes to a chrysalis in a crevice of the bark.