Asteroscopus sphinx

The wingspan is 39–49 mm. The length of the forewings is 17–22 mm."Forewing pale luteous grey, more or less strongly dusted with olive grey: a thick black streak from base below cell, with a finer streak above and beyond it, and another beyond it below submedian fold; outer line marked by black vein dashes on a paler space; orbicular stigma flattened, elongate, edged with black; reniform large irregularly 8-shaped, the lower half angled and reaching below median vein: submarginal line pale, preceded by black wedgeshaped marks between veins and followed by black streaks from termen in the intervals, the indentation on submedian fold more strongly marked; veins towards margin finely black; fringe chequered pale and dark grey; hindwing whitish, grey-speckled, the veins darker: a dull grey cellspot, and marginal row of black lunules; the female is darker throughout, more brownish tinged."[1]

The moth flies in one generation in from early September to November .

The larva is bright velvety green; dorsal and subdorsal lines chalk white, the latter commencing only at segment 4; spiracular line yellowish white, with dark upper edge; face green with two yellow streaks. The larvae feed on various deciduous trees and shrubs, such as Corylus avellana, Quercus, Fraxinus excelsior and Salix.[2]

Habitats include deciduous and mixed forests, but also such as hedges, gardens, to parks and avenues.

1. ^ The flight season refers to Belgium and The Netherlands. This may vary in other parts of the range.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Asteroscopus sphinx.

• The Sprawler on UK Moths
• Butterflies and Moths of Northern Ireland
• Fauna Europaea
• Funet
• Lepidoptera of Belgium
• Lepiforum.de
• Vlindernet.nl (in Dutch)
• waarneming.nl (in Dutch)