| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Euphia, Lygris, Steganolophia.
Adults. Crepuscular and nocturnal (commonly attracted to light). Antennae of males simple; simply-ciliate. Face smooth to rough.
Wingspan 33–42 mm. Forewings relatively broad. The outer margin of the forewing slightly sigmoid-curved, or convexly curved. Forewings brown, ochreous yellow or reddish-grey; predominantly ochreous, or cream, or yellow, or purple, purplish, red, pinkish or rosy, or brown; without a clear discal mark; with a distinct median band (then the band dark, sometimes lighter down the middle), or without a median band. Hindwings conspicuously patterned, or plain; grey, greyish-white or pale yellowish; predominantly whitish, or pale ochreous, or cream, or grey, or pale grey; without a clear discal mark; transversely lined, or without transverse lines (lines clear in E. prunata, faint or lacking in E. populata).
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 woody Dicots - Ribes, Salix, Betula, Calluna, Vaccinium; also Galium (E. populata).
British representation. 5 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found July and August. E. mellinata (The Spinach), E. populata (The Northern Spinach), E. prunata (The Phoenix), E. pyraliata (The Barred Straw), , E. testata (The Chevron).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • 5 Eulithis spp., with Chloroclysta, Cidaria,Plemyria, Thera: Newman (1869). 1, Eulithis prunata (The Phoenix); 2, Eulithis mellinata (The Spinach); 3a-b, Eulithis testata (The Chevron); 4a-b, Eulithis populata (The Northern Spinach); 5, Eulithis pyraliata (The Barred Straw); 6a-f, Ecliptopera saliceata (The Small Phoenix); 7, Chloroclysta siterata (Red-green Carpet); 8, Chloroclysta siterata (Autumn Green Carpet); 9a-c, Chloroclysta truncata (Marbled Carpet); 10a-b, Chloroclysta citrata (Dark Marbled Carpet); 11, Cidaria fulvata (The Barred Yellow); 12, Thera cognata (Chestnut-coloured Carpet); 13, Thera juniperata (Juniper Carpet); 14, Thera firmata (Pine Carpet); 15, Thera obeliscata (Grey Pine Carpet); 16a, Plemyria rubiginata (Blue-bordered Carpet, typical form); 16b, Plemyria rubiginata (Blue-bordered Carpet, var). From Newman (1869). • E. prunata (Phoenix) and E. populata (Northern Spinach), 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’.
