# Coronet (*Craniophora ligustri*) The Coronet is a beautiful moth with bright colors and unique patterns. It loves to flutter around flowers at night, helping to pollinate them while looking for food. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Coronet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Craniophora_ligustri%252C_Coronet%252C_Trawscoed%252C_North_Wales%252C_May_2017_2_%2834946782222%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: janet graham, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Craniophora_ligustri%252C_Coronet%252C_Trawscoed%252C_North_Wales%252C_May_2017_2_%2834946782222%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Coronet is a medium-sized moth with mottled grey and whitish forewings, often featuring distinct black lines and a unique, crown-like white mark near the base. Its hindwings are paler, a soft grey-white. This pattern provides excellent camouflage against tree bark. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Noctuidae - **Genus:** Craniophora ## Interesting facts - Baby Coronet moths (caterpillars) can be bright green or even reddish with cool yellow stripes. - Its name "Coronet" comes from a crown-like mark on its wing, fitting for royalty! - These moths love to visit garden lights at night, like tiny nocturnal adventurers exploring. - When it's time to change, a Coronet caterpillar builds a strong cocoon from wood chips and silk. ## Special abilities - **Camouflage Master:** Coronet has a mottled grey pattern that helps them blend perfectly with tree bark, making them hard for predators to spot during the day. - **Nocturnal Navigator:** Coronet can fly and find food at night because it has special vision adapted for low light, helping them avoid daytime dangers. - **Nectar Sipper:** Coronet has a long, tube-like proboscis that helps them reach deep inside flowers to sip sweet nectar, giving them energy. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 35-42 mm - **Size:** 15-20 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-14 days - **Flight Speed:** 18 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Coronet moths sip flower nectar, while their caterpillars munch on tree leaves. - **Age differences:** Larvae feed on leaves of deciduous trees, while adult moths feed on nectar from various flowers. - **Primary Foods:** Nectar, Ash leaves, Privet leaves, Lilac leaves, Wild Olive leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** European Ash (*Fraxinus excelsior*) — Caterpillars feed on its leaves. - **Depends on:** [Common Privet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-privet) (*Ligustrum vulgare*) — Caterpillars also eat leaves from this shrub. - **Eaten by:** Brown Long-eared Bat (*Plecotus auritus*) — Adult moths are hunted by nocturnal bats. - **Eaten by:** [Great Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-tit) (*Parus major*) — Birds often prey on its caterpillars. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Moths are gentle creatures, but it's best to observe them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Coronet? Compare resting wing shape, forewing markings, antennae and body build. Small brown moths can hinge on fine details a phone photo can't always catch. Moth Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Coronet's wingspan? 35-42 mm ### How big is Coronet? 15-20 mm ### How long does Coronet live? 7-14 days ### How fast can Coronet fly? 18 km/h ### What does Coronet eat? Adult Coronet moths sip flower nectar, while their caterpillars munch on tree leaves. ### Where is Coronet usually found? Forests ### How does Coronet hunt? Foraging ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Coronet: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coronet)