| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Adults. Crepuscular and nocturnal; relatively stout-bodied to slender-bodied. Antennae of males simple; shortly and evenly simply-ciliate.
Wingspan 50–62 mm. The outer margin of the forewing sigmoid-curved. Forewings pale yellow, thinly strigulated with pale grey, with yellow-grey first and second lines and a yellow-grey, linear discal mark; with a clear discal mark (this yellow-grey, linear). Forewings of the male without a fovea. The outer margin of the hindwings tailed. Hindwings conspicuously patterned (via the clear median transverse line, plus a red, black-edged subterminal spot above the tail, and a black one below it); the same colour as the forewings; without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (with a single, darkish median line).
Hindwings lacking a tubular vein 5. 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 separate.
Posterior tibiae of males 4-spurred.
Early stages. Larvae feeding on Sambucus, Crataegus, etc.
British representation. 1 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found in July. O. sambucaria (Swallow-tailed Moth).
Subfamily. Ennominae.
Illustrations. • Larentiinae: Ourapteryx sambucaria (Swallow-tailed Moth: B. Ent. 508). • Ourapteryx sambucaria: B. Ent. 508, legend+text. • Ourapteryx sambucaria: B. Ent. 508, text cont.. • Alcis, Biston, Cleora, Cleorodes, Deileptenia, Fagivorina, Menophra, Ourapteryx, Peribatodes, Selidosema: Newman. 1, Ourapteryx sambucaria (Swallow-tailed Moth); 2, Biston betularia (Peppered Moth); 3, Biston strataria (Oak Beauty); 4, Peribatodes rhomboidaria (Willow Beauty); 5, Menophra abruptaria (Waved Umber); 6, Cleora cinctaria (Ringed Carpet); 7a-b, Selidosema brunnearia scandinaviaria (Bordered Grey, male and female); 8, Alcis repandata (Mottled Beauty); 9, Alcis jubata (Dotted Carpet); 10, Fagivorina arenaria (Speckled Beauty); 11, Cleorodes lichenaria (Brussels Lace); 12, Deileptenia ribeata (Satin Beauty). From Newman, 1869. • Ennominae (‘Thorns’, etc.): Kirby 46. ENNOMINAE. 1, Ennomos quercinaria (August Thorn); 2, Ennomos autumnaria (Large Thorn); 3, Ennomos alniaria (Canary-shouldered Thorn); 4, Ennomos erosaria (September Thorn); 5, Selenia dentaria (Early Thorn); 6, Selenia lunularia (Lunar Thorn); 7, Selenia tetralunaria (Purple Thorn); 8, Apeira syringaria (Lilac Beauty); 9, Artiora evonymaria; 10, Odontopera bidentata (Scalloped Hazel); 11, Colotois pennaria (Feathered Thorn); 12, Crocallis elinguaria (Scalloped Oak); 13, Plagodis dolabraria (Scorch-wing); 14, Angerona prunaria (Orange Moth); 15, Ourapteryx sambucaria (Swallow-tailed Moth); 16, Opisthograptis luteolata (Brimstone Moth). From Kirby 36, 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’.
