About Mesoleuca albicillata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Mesoleuca albicillata (Linnaeus, 1758) has a wingspan of 34–38 mm. The ground colour of its forewings ranges from creamy white to bright white. The basal field of the forewings is distinctly black-brown. There is a large black-brown marking on the forewing’s front edge, located behind the middle and extending almost to the apex. Forewings also have a double dark grey crossline, a white wavy line within the grey marginal field, and very small black discal flecks. The hindwings are white, with a grey marginal field crossed by a faint whitish squiggle, a thin dark cross line, and a small black middle spot. Fully grown caterpillars are a vivid green, with very distinctive yellow-brown to red-brown arrow-shaped spots along the dorsum. This species is widespread across parts of Europe. Its range stretches from Spain through Western and Central Europe, including the British Isles. In Northern Europe, it reaches as far north as Central Fennoscandia, while in Southern and Eastern Europe it extends as far south as Southern Italy, the Balkans, and the Black Sea. It is also found in the temperate zone of Central Asia.
