Garden carpet
It produces overlapping generations from spring through autumn, so caterpillars and adults can often be found together in the same month.
| Where | Gardens and waste ground |
|---|---|
| Size | 27 to 31 mm wingspan |
| When | May to September |
The garden carpet has greyish white forewings crossed by a dark, broken band that is blackish toward the leading edge and paler toward the trailing edge, with a small pale notch marking the outer edge.
Caterpillars feed on cruciferous plants such as garlic mustard, shepherd's purse, and cultivated cabbages, and the moth produces overlapping generations from spring to autumn, overwintering as a pupa.
Traits
Habitat
Garden
Colour
Grey, Black, White
Active
Night
To people
Harmless to people; caterpillars can be a minor nuisance on cabbages.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The silver-ground carpet is a similar size but paler overall with a more complete pale central band, while the garden carpet is darker with a broken pattern of blotches.
Questions
Is the Garden carpet dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; caterpillars can be a minor nuisance on cabbages.
When can you see the Garden carpet?
The Garden carpet can be seen from May to September, at night.
Plate retouched from a photo by Please report references to [email protected]., CC BY‑SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
Report a mistake in this entry
Butterflies and moths›Geometer moths›Xanthorhoe
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.