Idaea degeneraria

Portland ribbon wave
Dorsal view
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Idaea
Species:
I. degeneraria
Binomial name
Idaea degeneraria
(Hübner, 1799)

Idaea degeneraria, the Portland ribbon wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799.[1][2]

Subspecies

In alphabetical order:[1][3]

  • Idaea degeneraria alticolaria (Schawerda, 1933)
  • Idaea degeneraria degeneraria (Hubner, 1800)
  • Idaea degeneraria erschoffi (Christoph, 1872)

Description

Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6

The species has a wingspan of 26–31 mm. These small pale brown geometers are darker brown-marked between antemedian and median lines.

Biology

The larvae feed on various low herbaceous plants, mainly dandelion (Taraxacum species) and knotgrass (Polygonum species). The adults fly in one generation from June to July.[1]

Distribution

This species can be found in most of Europe, in the Near East and in North Africa.[1][4] These moths prefer warm limestone undercliffs.[5]

Notes

  1. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of its range.

References

  1. ^ a b c GBIF
  2. ^ Encyclopedia of Life
  3. ^ Insecta.pro
  4. ^ Fauna Europaea
  5. ^ Chris Manley British Moths. Second edition


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