Moths & butterflies known to feed on white willow (Salix alba):
| Species | Status | Match |
|---|---|---|
| The lappet Gastropacha quercifolia |
Endangered | any Salix species |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | any Salix species |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | this species |
| The sprawler Asteroscopus sphinx |
Vulnerable | any Salix species |
| Scarce chocolate-tip Clostera anachoreta |
Vulnerable | any Salix species |
| Mottled umber Erannis defoliaria |
Vulnerable | any Salix species |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | any Salix species |
| The lackey Malacosoma neustria |
Vulnerable | any Salix species |
| Pale eggar Trichiura crataegi |
Vulnerable | any Salix species |
| Flounced chestnut Agrochola helvola |
Near Threatened | any Salix species |
| Beaded chestnut Agrochola lychnidis |
Near Threatened | any Salix species |
| Minor shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis |
Near Threatened | this species |
| The sallow Cirrhia icteritia |
Near Threatened | any Salix species |
| Grey scalloped Dyscia fagaria |
Near Threatened | this species |
| Large thorn Ennomos autumnaria |
Near Threatened | any Salix species |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | any Salix species |
| Double dart Graphiphora augur |
Near Threatened | any Salix species |
| The magpie Abraxas grossulariata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Alder moth Acronicta alni |
LC | any Salix species |
| The miller Acronicta leporina |
LC | this species |
| Light knot Acronicta menyanthidis |
LC | this species |
| Grey dagger Acronicta psi |
LC | any Salix species |
| Dark dagger Acronicta tridens |
LC | any Salix species |
| Scarce umber Agriopis aurantiaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Dotted border Agriopis marginaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| The brick Agrochola circellaris |
LC | any Salix species |
| Brown-spot pinion Agrochola litura |
LC | any Salix species |
| Red-line quaker Agrochola lota |
LC | any Salix species |
| Yellow-line quaker Agrochola macilenta |
LC | any Salix species |
| Green-brindled crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae |
LC | any Salix species |
| March moth Alsophila aescularia |
LC | any Salix species |
| Svensson's copper underwing Amphipyra berbera |
LC | any Salix species |
| Copper underwing Amphipyra pyramidea |
LC | any Salix species |
| Green arches Anaplectoides prasina |
LC | any Salix species |
| Twin-spotted quaker Anorthoa munda |
LC | any Salix species |
| Dingy shears Apterogenum ypsillon |
LC | any Salix species |
| Musk beetle Aromia moschata |
LC | this species |
| Peppered moth Biston betularia |
LC | any Salix species |
| Oak beauty Biston strataria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Light orange underwing Boudinotiana notha |
LC | any Salix species |
| Common wave Cabera exanthemata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Common white wave Cabera pusaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pale tussock Calliteara pudibunda |
LC | any Salix species |
| Light emerald Campaea margaritaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Red underwing Catocala nupta |
LC | this species |
| Little thorn Cepphis advenaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Red chestnut Cerastis rubricosa |
LC | any Salix species |
| Puss moth Cerura vinula |
LC | any Salix species |
| Autumn green Chloroclysta miata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Chocolate-tip Clostera curtula |
LC | any Salix species |
| Small chocolate-tip Clostera pigra |
LC | any Salix species |
| Nut-tree tussock Colocasia coryli |
LC | any Salix species |
| Feathered thorn Colotois pennaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Dark chestnut Conistra ligula |
LC | any Salix species |
| The chestnut Conistra vaccinii |
LC | any Salix species |
| The dun-bar Cosmia trapezina |
LC | any Salix species |
| Goat moth Cossus cossus |
LC | any Salix species |
| No common name Crepidodera plutus |
LC | this species |
| Scalloped oak Crocallis elinguaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Satin beauty Deileptenia ribeata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Purple clay Diarsia brunnea |
LC | any Salix species |
| Barred chestnut Diarsia dahlii |
LC | any Salix species |
| Ingrailed clay Diarsia mendica |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pebble hook-tip Drepana falcataria |
LC | this species |
| Dark marbled carpet Dysstroma citrata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Cream-bordered green pea Earias clorana |
LC | this species |
| Broken-barred carpet Electrophaes corylata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Bordered beauty Epione repandaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pale november moth Epirrita christyi |
LC | any Salix species |
| November moth Epirrita dilutata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Small autumnal moth Epirrita filigrammaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Mottled pug Eupithecia exiguata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Common pug Eupithecia vulgata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Small angle Euplexia lucipara |
LC | any Salix species |
| Brown-tail Euproctis chrysorrhoea |
LC | any Salix species |
| Yellow-tail Euproctis similis |
LC | any Salix species |
| The satellite Eupsilia transversa |
LC | any Salix species |
| Great brocade Eurois occulta |
LC | any Salix species |
| Poplar kitten Furcula bifida |
LC | any Salix species |
| Sallow kitten Furcula furcula |
LC | this species |
| Common emerald Hemithea aestivaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Waved carpet Hydrelia sylvata |
LC | any Salix species |
| July highflyer Hydriomena furcata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pale oak beauty Hypomecis punctinalis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Great oak Hypomecis roboraria |
LC | any Salix species |
| The Saxon Hyppa rectilinea |
LC | any Salix species |
| Little emerald Jodis lactearia |
LC | any Salix species |
| Beautiful brocade Lacanobia contigua |
LC | any Salix species |
| Bright-line brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pale-shouldered brocade Lacanobia thalassina |
LC | any Salix species |
| Poplar hawk-moth Laothoe populi |
LC | any Salix species |
| Grass eggar Lasiocampa trifolii |
LC | any Salix species |
| White satin moth Leucoma salicis |
LC | this species |
| Pale pinion Lithophane socia |
LC | any Salix species |
| The seraphim Lobophora halterata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Clouded border Lomaspilis marginata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Brindled beauty Lycia hirtaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Gypsy moth Lymantria dispar |
NA | any Salix species |
| Black arches Lymantria monacha |
LC | this species |
| Sharp-angled peacock Macaria alternata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Fox moth Macrothylacia rubi |
LC | any Salix species |
| Ground lackey Malacosoma castrensis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae |
LC | any Salix species |
| Dot moth Melanchra persicariae |
LC | any Salix species |
| Twin-spot carpet Mesotype didymata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Old lady Mormo maura |
LC | any Salix species |
| Lesser yellow underwing Noctua comes |
LC | any Salix species |
| Broad-bordered yellow underwing Noctua fimbriata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Least yellow underwing Noctua interjecta |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pebble prominent Notodonta ziczac |
LC | any Salix species |
| Scalloped hazel Odontopera bidentata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Winter moth Operophtera brumata |
LC | any Salix species |
| The vapourer Orgyia antiqua |
LC | any Salix species |
| Common quaker Orthosia cerasi |
LC | any Salix species |
| Small quaker Orthosia cruda |
LC | any Salix species |
| Hebrew character Orthosia gothica |
LC | any Salix species |
| Powdered quaker Orthosia gracilis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Clouded drab Orthosia incerta |
LC | any Salix species |
| Northern Drab Orthosia opima |
LC | any Salix species |
| The suspected Parastichtis suspecta |
LC | any Salix species |
| Brindled white-spot Parectropis similaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Buff-tip Phalera bucephala |
LC | any Salix species |
| Swallow prominent Pheosia tremula |
LC | any Salix species |
| Scorched wing Plagodis dolabraria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Barred umber Plagodis pulveraria |
LC | any Salix species |
| December moth Poecilocampa populi |
LC | any Salix species |
| Silvery arches Polia hepatica |
LC | any Salix species |
| Grey arches Polia nebulosa |
LC | any Salix species |
| Comma Polygonia c-album |
LC | any Salix species |
| Small seraphim Pterapherapteryx sexalata |
LC | this species |
| Pale prominent Pterostoma palpina |
LC | any Salix species |
| Coxcomb prominent Ptilodon capucina |
LC | any Salix species |
| Bordered sallow Pyrrhia umbra |
LC | any Salix species |
| Small poplar borer Saperda populnea |
LC | this species |
| The herald Scoliopteryx libatrix |
LC | any Salix species |
| Early thorn Selenia dentaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Purple thorn Selenia tetralunaria |
LC | any Salix species |
| Hornet moth Sesia apiformis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Lunar hornet Sesia bembeciformis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Reed dagger Simyra albovenosa |
LC | any Salix species |
| Eyed hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Lobster moth Stauropus fagi |
LC | any Salix species |
| Poplar grey Subacronicta megacephala |
LC | any Salix species |
| Yellow-legged clearwing Synanthedon vespiformis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Early tooth-striped Trichopteryx carpinata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Pink-barred sallow Xanthia togata |
LC | any Salix species |
| Dotted clay Xestia baja |
LC | any Salix species |
| Triple-spotted clay Xestia ditrapezium |
LC | any Salix species |
| Double square-spot Xestia triangulum |
LC | any Salix species |
| Golden-rod brindle Xylena solidaginis |
LC | any Salix species |
| Red sword-grass Xylena vetusta |
LC | any Salix species |
| Leopard moth Zeuzera pyrina |
LC | any Salix species |
Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.