December Moth

Poecilocampa populi

February Invertebrate

©Walter Schön

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Known as the December Moth, this moth is one of the only large insects you may see in the winter. It looks particularly furry and cute compared to most other moths (This is an adaption for our cold winters).  As trees are usually warmer than the surrounding area, it is found in woods. This moth feeds on the leaves of a variety of broadleaved trees and shrubs, and this makes it common in the oak woods next to Cambridge.

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If you are lucky to stumble across this moth, be sure to look at its antennae. If they are feathery, it is a male.