Yellow shell moth
Though mainly a night flier, it is so easily flushed from long grass by day that most people first meet it fluttering up underfoot rather than at a light trap.
| Where | Hedgerows, gardens, meadows, grassland |
|---|---|
| Size | 20 to 25 mm wingspan |
| When | May to September |
It is a small moth with an intricate, wavy pattern of fine crosslines over a yellow to brown ground colour, said to resemble the ridges of a seashell, and the exact shade varies a great deal between individuals and regions.
The caterpillars feed on low-growing plants such as chickweed and sorrel, and the species passes through a single generation each year.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
Yellow, Brown, White
Active
Day and night
To people
Harmless
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The shaded broad-bar is larger, with a wingspan of about 25 to 30 mm, and shows one broad dark cross-band rather than the yellow shell's many fine wavy lines.
Questions
Is the Yellow shell moth dangerous to people?
The Yellow shell moth is harmless to people.
When can you see the Yellow shell moth?
The Yellow shell moth can be seen from May to September, by day and at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by Ben Sale from Stevenage, UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Geometer moths›Camptogramma
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.