| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Adults. Antennae of males simple. Face rough.
Wingspan 35–43 mm. The outer margin of the forewing slightly sigmoid-curved, or convexly curved. Forewings whitish, with a ferrugineous subcostal vein, a dark fuscous basal patch, and a dark terminal band containing a whitish median blotch; without a clear discal mark; with a distinct median band (this darkened fuscous only towards the costa). Hindwings conspicuously patterned (fuscous-margined and usually striated); whitish, with grey and fuscous markings; with a clear discal mark (this grey); transversely lined (via distinct to indistinct, grey median and outer 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 Clematis.
British representation. 1 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, and English Midlands (local). Living adults found June and July. M. procellata (Pretty Chalk Carpet, Chalk Carpet).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • M. procellata (Chalk Carpet), with Coenocalpe, Colostygia, Electrophaes, Eustroma, Hydriomena, Horisme: Newman 1869. 1, Eustroma reticulatum (Netted Carpet); 2a, Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet, typical form); 2b, Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet, var.); 3, Colostygia olivata (Beech-green Carpet); 4, Colostygia multistrigaria (The Mottled Grey); 5, Colostygia pectinataria (Green Carpet); 6a-e, Hydriomena furcata (July Highflier); 7, Hydriomena impluviata (May Highflier); 8a-b, Hydriomena ruberata (Ruddy Highflier); 9, Horisme vitalbata (Small Waved Umber); 10, Horisme tersata (The Fern); 11, Coenocalpe lapidata (Slender-striped Rufous); 12, Melanthia procellata (Chalk Carpet). From Newman (1869). • M. procellata, 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’.
