Peach blossom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peach blossom
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Phalaena (Noctua) batis Linnaeus, 1758 Thyatira batis japonica Werny, 1966 Thyatira batis mandschurica Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens wilemani Werny, 1966 Thyatira batis japonica Dubatolov, 1991 Thyatira vicina pallida Rothschild, 1920 Thyatira rubrescens assamensis Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens kwangtungensis Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens nepalensis Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens obscura Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens orientalis Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens szechwana Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens tienmushana Werny, 1966 Thyatira rubrescens vietnamensis Werny, 1966 Thyatira batis mandschurica Werny, 1966

The peach blossom (Thyatira batis) is a beautiful type of moth. It belongs to a family of moths called Drepanidae. A famous scientist named Carl Linnaeus first described this moth in 1758. He wrote about it in his book, Systema Naturae.

Where it Lives

You can find the peach blossom moth all across Europe. It also lives in a large area called the Palearctic. This region stretches east to Japan and Mongolia. It is quite a common species in the British Isles.

What it Looks Like

This moth is very striking! Its front wings are brown. They have five pink and white blotches. These blotches really look like the petals of peach blossom flowers. The back wings are a mix of buff and grey colors.

The distance from one wingtip to the other, called the wingspan, is about 40 to 45 millimeters. This moth flies at night. In western Europe, you can usually see it in June and July. Sometimes, a second group of moths appears in late August and September. These moths are often drawn to light and sweet things like sugar.

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  Both sides of the moth

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  A peach blossom moth caterpillar

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  A peach blossom moth pupa

Life Cycle

The young form of the moth is called a larva, or caterpillar. It is brown with white markings. It also has several small humps along its back. When it rests, the caterpillar raises both its front and back ends. Many moths in the Drepanidae family do this.

The caterpillar eats different types of Rubus plants. These include plants like blackberries and raspberries. The moth spends the winter as a pupa. This is the stage where the caterpillar changes into an adult moth.

Different Types

There are a few different types, or subspecies, of the peach blossom moth. These different types are found in various parts of the world. For example, Thyatira batis batis is found across Europe, Russia, and parts of Asia. Other types like Thyatira batis formosicola are found in Taiwan. Thyatira batis rubrescens lives in places like India and Vietnam.