It is native to Europe, the Balkan countries and the Black Sea region as far as Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

This is unusual since, between the two species, it is B. strataria that should have a greater evolutionary selection for the prevalence of melanic individuals due to the higher pollution concentrations in the area.

In the south, its range extends through the entire Mediterranean, the Balkan countries and the Black Sea region as far as Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

In these circumstances the moth has one last defense mechanism – its hindwings, which were previously hidden in the resting position, carries shocking markings which may warn off predators when suddenly exposed.

[8] The oak beauty caterpillar is brown, marbled with white, and has two small red lumps on the back of its eighth, ninth and twelfth segments and a small lump on the belly on the seventh, eighth and ninth segments.

The caterpillar's head is slightly notched in the middle, possibly due to evolutionary pressures to resemble twigs in appearance.

[7] The larvae are found from spring to fall feed on a variety of deciduous trees including oak (Quercus spp.

[2] [9] An experiment was carried out to discover whether caterpillars of B. strataria, Ennomos alniaria, and Lycia hirtaria were protected from Eurasian jays and common chaffinches by their resemblance to the sticks they resided upon.

Brower has speculated that bird behaviour is density-dependent as well as dependent upon finding surrounding larvae of the similar phenotypic properties to the one it just consumed.

[8] Although past theories have speculated that either Batesian mimicry or crypsis were at play to explain these circumstances, further studies by Skelhorn have proven neither are correct.

[8] A cryptic disruptive pattern on the wings breaks up the outline, while the colouration blends well with the tree bark on which the oak beauty rests.