Mother Shipton vs Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Mother Shipton Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet
Scientific Name Euclidia mi Xanthorhoe ferrugata
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Erebidae Geometridae
Size 30-35 mm wingspan 22-28 mm wingspan
Habitat Grasslands Woodlands
Diet Omnivores Herbivores
Regions Europe, western Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Mother Shipton

A day-flying moth whose forewing markings resemble the profile of a witch's face. It is named after the famous English prophetess Mother Shipton.

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Did You Know?

The wing pattern clearly shows a hooked nose, chin, and eye in profile, resembling a caricature of a crone.

Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

A common but variable carpet moth found in gardens and hedgerows. Wing pattern ranges from pale to very dark. Larvae feed on bedstraws and other low plants.

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Did You Know?

So variable in appearance that dark and light forms were once described as separate species.