Lithophane

Adults are medium-sized noctuids with forewings adapted for bark camouflage, typically in grey and brown tones. Several species display distinctive dark markings on the forewing: L. ornitopus has a black trifurcated mark resembling bird's foot toes. At rest, some species roll their wings while others hold them flat; this trait distinguishes otherwise similar greyish species. The 'shoulder-knot' common name refers to the prominent reniform stigma on the forewing.

Species occupy varied habitats including broad-leaved woodlands (particularly oak), coniferous plantations, and gardens. Some species are strongly associated with cupressaceous plants, while others use diverse broad-leaved trees.

Palaearctic distribution, ranging from western Europe and North Africa across to western Siberia and Kazakhstan. In the United Kingdom, several species have expanded northward to central Scotland since the mid-20th century. Records also exist from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and North America (Vermont, US).

Adults fly predominantly in autumn and winter. L. leautieri flies mid-September to late November, peaking early October. L. ornitopus is active autumn through early spring with variably prolonged winter rest. Flight activity is nocturnal, with adults often coming to light after 23:00.

Larvae feed on woody plants. L. leautieri specializes on cupressaceous hosts including Lawson's cypress and Leyland cypress. L. ornitopus feeds on various broad-leaved trees with Quercus preferred, plus Prunus, Populus, Salix, and Ulmus.

• Cupressus lawsoniana - larval foodplantLawson's cypress; introduced species facilitating range expansion in UK
• Cupressus × leylandii - larval foodplantLeyland cypress hybrid; widely planted in horticulture
• Juniperus spp. - larval foodplantjunipers
• Cupressus spp. - larval foodplantcypresses
• Quercus spp. - larval foodplantoaks; preferred host for L. ornitopus
• Prunus spp. - larval foodplantcherries and plums
• Populus spp. - larval foodplantpoplars
• Salix spp. - larval foodplantwillows
• Ulmus spp. - larval foodplantelms

Univoltine. Two overwintering strategies occur: L. leautieri overwinters as egg, hatching February-March; L. ornitopus and related species have prolonged adult winter diapause. Larvae develop during spring and early summer; L. ornitopus larvae typically aestivate before pupation in late summer in a tough soil cocoon. L. leautieri larvae are green, full-fed 36 mm, with dorsally dashed white stripe and lateral zigzag white stripes for camouflage. Pupa of L. leautieri is olive to chestnut brown, approximately 17 mm.

Adults are nocturnal and readily attracted to artificial light, often arriving after 23:00. Some species also respond to alcohol-sugar lures. Adults employ bark-camouflage posture at rest. Larvae are well-camouflaged amongst foliage. Range expansion in Britain has been facilitated by widespread planting of introduced cypress species.

Some species have become more common and widespread due to horticultural use of conifers, particularly Leyland cypress hedging. Adults are regularly recorded at moth traps by citizen scientists and lepidopterists.

• XylenaSimilar greyish noctuids with autumn-winter flight periods; distinguished by wing posture and pattern details
• ConistraSmall winter-active noctuids; Lithophane species are generally larger with more prominent forewing markings

• noctuidae
• noctuinae
• autumn moth
• winter moth
• bark camouflage
• univoltine
• conifer feeder
• genome sequenced

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• The genome sequence of the Grey Shoulder-knot, Lithophane ornitopus (Hufnagel, 1766).
• The genome sequence of Blair's Shoulder-knot, Lithophane leautieri (Boisduval, 1829).