Bordered white

It is a common species throughout the western Palearctic region, the Near East and North Africa.

Western Palearctic region, the Near East, North Africa

This moth is an inhabitant of coniferous woodland. The adults fly in May and June, sometimes later (up to August or so) in the north of the range. Their wingspan is 34–40 mm. This is a variable species with strong sexual dimorphism, always conspicuous in the antennae which are combed in the males and plain in the females. Females, particularly when filled with ripe eggs, also have a plumper abdomen.

The male has upperwings with broad dark brown borders and spots and a background varying from white in the north to deep yellow in southern populations. The female is plainer, varying from yellow to brown on the upperwings, which have slightly darker crosswise stripes. In both sexes, the wingtips are darkest. The underwings are less dimorphic, orange-brown with darker tips on the forewings and marbled light brown with a whitish lengthwise stripe on the hindwings in both sexes. The male's underwings have a wider whitish hindwing stripe and darker forewing tips, while the females have a more contrasting hindwing pattern. All four wings are bordered by a short fringe of alternating sections of white and dark brown hairs. Bilateral gynandromorphs are easily recognized in this species.

The caterpillar larva is green with pale lines and usually feeds on various species of pine (Pinus), especially Scots pine (P. sylvestris) and European black pine (P. nigra). It has also been recorded feeding on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga), larch (Larix) and spruce (Picea, e.g. Norway spruce P. abies). This species overwinters as a pupa. It can be a serious pest in conifer plantations.

Birds, rodents, ants, wasps, spiders

Bats, birds, spiders

The larvae of bordered white possess the rare ability to camouflage flawlessly with pine tree bark, making them almost invisible to predators.