:''The large emerald is also one of the Twenty Treasures of Zork from the
Infocom text adventure Zork I.''
The 'Large Emerald', ''(Geometra papilionaria)'', is a
moth, the type specimen for the family
Geometridae. It is found throughout the
Palearctic region and the
Near East.
This is a large and attractive species, as the specific name suggests very
butterfly like, with a
wingspan of 50-65 mm. Newly emerged adults are bright green with darker green and white
fascia, though the green colouration fades after a few days. It flies at night from June to August
[1] and is attracted to light.
The
larva is brown at first, turning green later, and feeds mainly on
birch though it has also been recorded on
alder,
beech,
hazel and
rowan. The species overwinters as a larva.
1. ''The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.''
External link
★
Large Emerald at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera pages
References
★ 'Chinery, Michael' ''Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe'' 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
★ 'Skinner, Bernard' ''Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles'' 1984