73.039 BF2279
The Sycamore Acronicta aceris
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan 35-45 mm.
Like several other Acronicta species, the ground colour varies from pale grey to dark sooty-grey.
The species is distributed mainly in the south-eastern counties of England, with scattered records elsewhere.
The brightly-coloured caterpillar is covered with yellow and orange hairs and has a row of black-edged white blotches along the back. It feeds on horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) as well as sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and field maple (A. campestre).