Engrailed
Its scientific name refers to twilight, since this moth is mostly active at dawn and dusk, and it was once split into two species over its wavy lines.
| Where | Woodland, hedgerows and gardens |
|---|---|
| Size | 38 to 45 mm wingspan |
| When | March to August |
The Engrailed is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 38 to 45 mm, its buff or grey wings crossed by wavy dark lines edged with small tooth-like black marks, and it varies considerably in shade between individuals.
A single generation flies each year, and the caterpillars feed on a wide range of trees and shrubs, resting by day among foliage where their mottled colouring and twig-like shape give them good camouflage.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Brown, Grey
Active
Night
To people
Attracted to light; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Overlapping in size at 30 to 45 mm wingspan and similarly patterned in buff or grey, but usually shows a pale zigzag line across the hindwing that the Engrailed lacks.
Questions
Is the Engrailed dangerous to people?
Attracted to light; harmless to people.
When can you see the Engrailed?
The Engrailed can be seen from March to August, at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by Adrian Tync, CC BY‑SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
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Butterflies and moths›Geometer moths›Ectropis
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.