Biston betularia
Caterpillars munch on many different trees, shrubs and flowering plants, including:
This moth spends the winter as a chrysalis, just beneath the surface of the soil. The adult moths emerge in the late spring.
There is even more about this species on the main Butterfly Conservation website
Also known as ‘Darwin’s moth’, the Peppered moth is famous as an example of evolution by natural selection. In the mid-1800s, during the industrial revolution, the dark form of the moth became much more common in cities. It was later realised that the paler moths were being eaten by predators, but the darker moths were better able to hide themselves against sooty buildings and trees.