| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Adults. Antennae of males with short, paired processes on either side of each joint, emitting fascicles of cilia; fasciculate-ciliate.
Wingspan 30–34 mm. The outer margin of the forewing convexly curved. Forewings light grey, or whitish-fuscous, sprinkled darker; with a clear discal mark (this dark fuscous). Forewings of the male with a fovea. Hindwings conspicuously patterned to plain; light grey or whitish-fuscous, sprinkled darker, cf. the forewings; with a clear discal mark to without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (with wavy lines, at least outer, often the middle, outer and submarginal lines expressed more or less sharply).
Hindwings lacking a tubular vein 5. Vein 8 of the hindwings approximated to or anastomosed with the upper margin of the cell to the middle or beyond. Hindwing veins 6 and 7 separate.
Posterior tibiae of males 4-spurred.
Early stages. Larvae feeding on foliage of Betula.
British representation. 1 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found May and June. Aethalura punctulata (Grey Birch Moth).
Subfamily. Ennominae.
Illustrations. • A. punctulata (Grey Birch), with Boarmia, Bupalus, Ectropis, Ematurga, Serraca, Tephronia: Newman. 1, Boarmia roboraria (Great Oak Beauty); 2, Serraca punctinalis (Pale Oak Beauty); 3, Tephronia sepiaria (Dusky Carpet); 4, Ectropis crepuscularia (Small Engrailed); 5, Ectropis bistortata (The Engrailed); 6, Ectropis (Paradarisa) consonaria (The Square-spot); 7, Ectropis similaria (Brindled White-spot); 8, Aethalura punctulata (Grey Birch); 9, Ematurga atomaria (Common Heath); 10a-c, Bupalus piniaria (Bordered White, male upper- and under-side and female). From Newman, 1869. • A. punctulata, with other Ennominae: Kirby 48. ENNOMINAE. 1, Cleora cinctaria (Ringed Carpet); 2, Peribatodes rhomboidaria (Willow Beauty); 3, Peribatodes secundaria (Feathered Beauty); 4, Deileptenia ribeata (Satin Carpet); 5, Alcis repandata (Mottled Beauty); 6, Boarmia roboraria (Great Oak Beauty); 7, Serraca punctinalis (Pale Oak Beauty); 8, Fagivorina arenaria (Speckled Beauty); 9, Cleorodes lichenaria (Brussels Lace); 10, Ectropis crepuscularia (Small Engrailed); 11, Ectropis (Paradarisa) consonaria (Square-spot); 12, Ectropis similaria (Brindled White-spot); 13, Aethalura punctulata (Grey Birch Moth); 14, Gnophos furvata; 15, Gnophos obscuratus (Dark Annulet); 16, cf. Charissa (Rhopalognophos) glaucinaria; 17, Gnophos (Charissa) obscuratus (Annulet); 18, Gnophos obfuscatus (Scotch Annulet); 19, Psodos quadrifaria; 20, Macaria fusca; 21, "Fidonia fasciolaria", = Isturgia?; 22, Istugia famula; 23, Isturgia roraria; 24, "Fidonia plumistraria", = ?; 25, Ematurga atomaria (Common Heath); 26, Bupalus piniaria (Bordered White); 27, Selidosema brunnearia (Bordered Grey); 28, Itame vincularia; 29, Semiothisa (Macaria) wauaria (V-Moth); 30, Semiothisa (Itame) brunneata (Rannoch Looper); 31, Macaria artesiaria; 32, Petrophora chlorosata (Brown Silver Line); 33, Semiothisa (Macaria) clathrata (Latticed Heath). From Kirby 48, with updated names.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae. Version: 14th February 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
