| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Adults. Antennae of males simple; shortly simply-ciliate. Face smooth.
Wingspan 20–30 mm. The outer margin of the forewing slightly sigmoid-curved, or convexly curved. Forewings pale yellowish with strong ochreous-orange striae in H. flammeolaria, or whitish with grey striae in H. sylvata; with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark. Hindwings conspicuously patterned, or plain; pale yellowish (H. flammeolaria), or whitish (H. sylvata); without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (H. flammeolaria with several conspicuous, dark wavy lines, those of H. sylvata obscure).
Vein 10 of the forewings arising independently of 9; arising out of 11 and anastomosing with 9 to form a simple 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 foliage of Alnus, Salix, Acer campestre.
British representation. 2 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (common). Living adults found June and July. H. flammeolaria (Small Yellow Wave), H. sylvata (Waved Carpet).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • H. flammeolaria and H. sylvata, with Acasis, Aplocera, Asthena, Carsia, Chesias, Discoloxia, Euchoeca, Lithostege, Lobophora, Minoa, Odezia, Pterapherapteryx, Trichopteryx: Newman 1869. 1, Chesias legatella (The Streak); 2, Chesias rufata rufata (The Broom-tip); 3a-b, Aplocera plagiata plagiata (The Treble-bar); 4a-c, Carsia sororiata anglica (Manchester Treble-bar); 5, Odezia atrata (The Chimney-sweeper); 6, Venusia cambrica (Welsh Wave); 7, Discoloxia blomeri (Blomer's Rivulet); 8, Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet); 9, Hydrelia flammeolaria (Small Yellow Wave); 10, Hydrelia sylvata (Waved Carpet); 11, Asthena albulata (Small White Wave); 12, Euchoeca nebulata (Dingy Shell); 13, Minoa murinata (Drab Looper); 14a-b, Lobophora halterata (The Seraphim); 15, Trichopteryx polycommata (Barred Tooth-striped); 16, Trichopteryx carpinata (Early Tooth-striped); 17, Pterapherapteryx sexalata (Small Seraphim); 18, Acasis viretata (Yellow-barred Brindle). From Newman (1869). • H. sylvata (Waved Carpet) and H. flammeolaria (Small Yellow Wave), with other Larentiinae (‘Carpets’, ‘Pugs’, etc.): Kirby 51. LARENTIINAE. 1, Mesoleuca albicillata (Beautiful Carpet); 2 and 5, Spargania luctuata (White-banded Carpet); 3, Rheumaptera hastata (Argent and Sable); 4, Epirrhoe tristata (Small Argent and Sable); 5, Spargania luctuata (White-banded Carpet); 6, Epirrhoe molluginata; 7, Perizoma alchemillata (Small Rivulet); 8, Perizoma blandiata (Pretty Pinion); 9, Perizoma albulata (Grass Rivulet); 10, Asthena albulata (Small White Wave); 11, Hydrelia sylvata (Waved Carpet); 12, Hydrelia flammeolaria (Small Yellow Wave); 13, Camptogramma bilineata (Yellow Shell); 14, Hydriomena furcata; 15, Hydriomena impluviata (May High-flier); 16, "Larentia capitata", cf. Ecliptopera capitata; 17, Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet); 18, Pareulype berberata (Barberry Carpet); 19, Anticlea derivata (The Streamer); 20, Catarhoe rubidata (The Flame); 21, Perizoma sagittata (Marsh Carpet); 22, Pelurga comitata (Dark Spinach); 23, Horisme vitalbata (Small Waved Umber); 24, Anticollix sparsata (Dentated Pug); 25, Eupithecia centaureata (Lime-speck Pug); 26, Eupithecia venosata (Netted Pug); 27, Eupithecia linariata (Toadflax Pug); 28, Eupithecia abietaria (?); 29, Pasiphila rectangulata (Green Pug); 30, Eupithecia nanata (Narrow-winged Pug); 31, Eupithecia innonata (Angle-barred Pug); 32, Eupithecia satyrata (Beech Pug); 33, Eupithecia lanceata. From Kirby 51, 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’.
