| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Electra.
Adults. Antennae of males simple; shortly, simply-ciliate.
Wingspan 30–36 mm. The outer margin of the forewing slightly sigmoid-curved, or convexly curved. Forewings not predominantly green, yellow, or black; ochreous to ochreous-yellow, with darker or brown striae; predominantly pale ochreous, or ochreous, or cream, or yellow; with a clear discal mark (this blackish); with a distinct median band (this dark and contrasty, but paler down its middle). The outer margin of the hindwings rounded, or rounded to angled; smooth. Hindwings plain; whitish-ochreous or fuscous-tinged; without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (with faint to fairly clear striae).
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 Chenopodiaceae.
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. Pelurga comitata (Dark Spinach).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
General comments. The thorax with a horny anterior prominence.
Illustrations. • P. comitata (Dark Spinach), with Epirrhoe, Costaconvexa, Camptogramma, Entephria, Larentia, Anticlea, Mesoleuca, Lampropteryx, Cosmorhoe and Nebula: Newman 1869. 1, Epirrhoe tristata (Small Argent and Sable); 2, Epirrhoe alternata (Common Carpet); 3, Epirrhoe rivata (Wood Carpet); 4, Epirrhoe galiata (Galium Carpet); 5, Costaconvexa polygrammata (The Many-lined Moth); 6a and 6b, Camptogramma bilineata (The Yellow Shell); 7, Entephria caesiata (Grey Mountain Carpet); 8, Entephria flavicinctata (Yellow-ringed Carpet); 9, Cosmorhoe ocellata (The Purple Bar); 10, Anticlea badiata (The Shoulder Stripe); 11, Anticlea derivata (The Streamer); 12, Larentia clavaria (The Mallow); 13, Mesoleuca albicillata (The Beautiful Carpet); 14, Nebula salicata latentaria (Striped Twin-spot Carpet); 15, Pelurga comitata (The Dark Spinach); 16, Lampropteryx suffumata (The Water Carpet, (a) typical and (b), ab. piceata). From Newman (1869). • P. comitata, 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’.
