| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Adults. Antennae of males simple; simply-ciliate.
Wingspan 29–33 mm. Forewings pale whitish grey, with a faintly darker subterminal transverse shade running to the apex; predominantly whitish, or pale grey; without a clear discal mark. Hindwings plain; pale whitish grey; predominantly whitish, or pale grey; without a clear discal mark; without transverse lines.
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 Cruciferae.
British representation. 1 species; South-west England. Living adults found June and July. L. griseata (The Grey Carpet, The Snowy).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
General comments. Front tibiae with a horny apical hook.
Illustrations. • L. griseata (Grey Carpet), with Acasis, Aploce, 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). • L. griseata and L. farinata, with other Larentiinae: Kirby 49. LARENTIINAE. 8, Lythria purpuraria; 9, Scotopteryx luridata (The Belle); 10, Larentia clavaria (Mallow); 11, Scotopteryx chenopodiata (Small Mallow); 12, Scotopteryx moeniata; 13, Scotopteryx bipunctaria (Chalk Carpet); 14, Minoa murinata (Drab Looper); 15, Odezia atrata (Chimney Sweep); 16, cf. Schistostege decussata; 17, Lithostege griseata (Grey Carpet); 18, Lithostege farinata (The Snowy); 19, Aplocera plagiata (The Treble-bar); 20, Carsia sororiata (Manchester Treble-bar); 21, Chesias legatella (The Streak); 22, Chesias rufata (Broom-tip); 23, Trichopteryx carpinata (Early Tooth-striped); 24, Celonoptera mirificaria; 25, Operophtera brummata (Winter Moth); 26, Operophtera fagata (Northern Winter Moth); 27, Triphosa sabaudiata; 28, Triphosa dubitata (Tissue); 29, Rheumaptera cervinalis (Scarce Tissue); 30, Rheumaptera undulata (Scallop Shell); 31, Philereme vetulata (Brown Scallop); 32, Philereme transversata transversata (Dark Umber). From Kirby 49, with names updated.
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’.
