# Plum Lappet

*Odonestis pruni*

When at rest, this moth's hindwings protrude beyond the forewings, creating a silhouette that perfectly resembles a dried, serrated leaf.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Lasiocampidae › Odonestis
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous woodlands, fruit orchards, and shrubby forest edges.
- **Diet:** Larvae feed on leaves of Prunus, Malus, and Quercus species; adults have vestigial mouthparts and do not feed.
- **Range:** Europe, Northern Asia, Japan
- **Size:** Wingspan of 35-50mm.
- **Lifespan:** 1 year total cycle; 5-10 days as a winged adult.
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Widespread use of pesticides in orchards and light pollution which disrupts nocturnal mating behaviors.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. This moth does not bite or sting. If found, observe its remarkable leaf-mimicry from a distance. Avoid touching the wings as it can rub off the scales necessary for flight. If one enters your home, gently guide it into a jar and release it outside near trees.

## About

Odonestis is a genus of moths in the family Lasiocampidae described by Ernst Friedrich Germar in 1812. It consists of twenty-two species, which is found in Europe, Russia, Asia Minor, China and Japan.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/35a646b7-277d-4c04-8350-a176c5bb5aa6
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/124957
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odonestis pruni
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/313719902/medium.jpg (katunchik, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.