| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Oporabia, Oporinia.
Adults. Crepuscular and nocturnal. Antennae of males simple; simply-ciliate. Face smooth.
Wingspan 28–40 mm. Forewings relatively broad. The outer margin of the forewing convexly curved, or convexly curved to more or less straight. Forewings pale grey or fuscous, with darker transverse markings; predominantly fuscous, or grey, or pale fuscous, or pale grey; with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark; without a median band. Hindwings plain; light grey, paler than the forewings; predominantly pale grey; without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (with two obscure posterior striae).
Vein 10 of the forewings arising independently of 9; arising independently, anastomosing with 11 and 9 to form a double areole. Hindwings exhibiting a tubular vein 5. Vein 5 of the hindwings arising from about the middle of the transverse vein, or arising from below the middle of the transverse vein (?). 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 stalked.
Posterior tibiae of males 4-spurred.
Early stages. Larvae feeding on diverse deciduous trees and shrubs, Calluna.
British representation. 4 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found September to November. E. autumnata (The Autumnal Moth), E. christyi (Pale November Moth), E. dilutata (November Moth), E. filigrammaria (Small Autumnal Moth).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • E. dilutata (November Moth) and E. autumnata (Autumnal Moth), with Operophtera and Perizoma: Newman 1869. 1a-b, Epirrita dilutata (November Moth); 2a-b, Epirrita autumnata (The Autumnal Moth); 3, Operophtera brumata (Winter Moth, male and flightless female); 4, Operophtera fagata (Northern Winter Moth, male and flightless female); 5, Perizoma taeniata (Barred Carpet); 6, Perizoma affinitata (The Rivulet); 7, Perizoma alchemillata (Small Rivulet); 8, Perizoma bifaciata (Haworth's Rivulet); 9, Perizoma minorata ericetata (Heath Rivulet); 10, Perizoma blandiata blandiata (Pretty Pinion); 11, Perizoma albulata albulata (Grass Rivulet); 12, Perizoma flavofasciata (Sandy Carpet); 13a-b, Perizoma didymata (Twin-spot Carpet); 14, Perizoma sagittata (Marsh Carpet). From Newman (1869). • Epirrita dilutata (November Moth): pale and melanic forms (photos). Epirrita dilutata (November Moth). Leek, Staffs., November 1949.
The species was commonly beaten from oak in the decade 1948–1958, when the melanic form was relatively uncommon despite proximity of the locality to heavily industrialized Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester (10 and 30 miles respectively). From Watson's collection. • E. dilatata, with other Larentiinae (‘Carpets’): Kirby 50. LARENTIINAE. 1. Anticlea badiata (Shoulder Stripe); 2, Eustroma reticulatum (Netted Carpet); 3, Eulithis prunata (Phoenix); 4, Eulithis populata (Northern Spinach); 5, Cidaria fulvata (Barred Yellow); 6, Cosmorhoe ocellata (Purple Bar); 7, Plemyria rubiginata (Blue-bordered Carpet); 8, Thera britannica (Spruce Carpet); 9, Thera juniperata (Juniper Carpet); 10 and 11, Chloroclysta siterata (Red-green and Autumn-green Carpets); 12, Chloroclysta truncata (Common Marbled Carpet); 13, Colostygia olivata (Beech Green Carpet); 14, Colostygia pectinataria (Green Carpet); 15, cf. Colostygia turbata; 16, Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet); 17, Xanthorhoe montanata (Silver-ground Carpet); 18, Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata (Large Twin-spot Carpet); 19, Xanthorhoe ferrugata (Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet); 20, Lampropteryx suffumata (Water Carpet); 21, Xanthorhoe biriviata (Balsam Carpet); 22, Xanthorhoe designata (Flame Carpet); 23, Orthonama vittata (Oblique Carpet); 24, Epirrita dilutata (November Moth); 25, Entephria caesiata (Grey Mountain Carpet); 26, Coenotephria tophaceata; 27, Catarhoe cuculata (Royal Mantle); 28, Epirrhoe galiata (Galium Carpet); 29, Epirrhoe alternata alternata (Common Carpet); 30, Euphya unangulata (Sharp-angled Carpet); 31, Melanthia procellata (Pretty Chalk Carpet). From Kirby 50, 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’.
