Regional Species


Goat Moth
Cossus cossus

Photograph by Dafydd C. Jones

Regional Species

This is the one of the largest British moths but is very seldom seen - one reason being that the adult is only weakly attracted to light. The truth is that we have little idea how common, or otherwise, the species might be in North Wales as the few records are of larvae seen, purely by chance, when they leave the tree they have lived within to search for a pupation site. The fact that these few records are from lowland sites is suggestive that altitude may be a factor but nothing is certain about this elusive moth.

The larvae feed within hardwood trees for several years and are alleged to cause symptons such as sap runs and dieback. The literature always mentions that occupied trees can be recognised by the smell of goats so this is worth remembering. If a candidate tree is found then it would be worth looking for old pupal cases which are diagnostic.

Further information available from the NW Lepidoptera Database, including access to detailed records, maps, flight-time charts and photographs.