| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Solenia.
Adults. Crepuscular and nocturnal; relatively stout-bodied to slender-bodied. Antennae of males bipectinate; bipectinate to the apex. Face rough (with a tuft of scales).
Wingspan 36–50 mm. The outer margin of the forewing angulated; more or less scalloped. Forewings whitish ochreous or brownish, or pinkish-purplish, with dark transverse lines and a small, dark apical fascia; exhibiting a transparent discal scar; with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark. The discal mark when present, conspicuously pale-centred and dark-ringed, or not dark-ringed. Forewings with a distinct median band (the band dark, in S. tetralunaria, but not sharply distinguished in colour from the basal fascia), or without a median band. Forewings of the male without a fovea. The outer margin of the hindwings rounded to angled; more or less scalloped. Hindwings conspicuously patterned to plain; coloured like the forewings, but less patterned; with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark. The discal mark when present, conspicuously pale-centred and dark-ringed, or not dark-ringed. Hindwings transversely lined, or without transverse lines.
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 foliage of diverse deciduous trees and shrubs.
British representation. 3 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found March to July (sometimes double brooded?). S. dentaria (Early Thorn), S. lunularia (Lunar Thorn), S. tetralunaria (Purple Thorn).
Subfamily. Ennominae.
Illustrations. • ‘Thorns’ - Angerona, Apeira, Colotois, Crocallis, Ennomos, Odontopera, Selenia: Newman. 1, Apeira syringaria (Lilac Beauty); 2, Ennomos quercinaria (August Thorn); 3, Ennomos alniaria (Canary-shouldered Thorn); 4, Ennomos autumnaria (Large Thorn); 5, Ennomos fuscantaria (Dusky Thorn); 6, Ennomos erosaria (September Thorn); 7, Selenia dentaria (Early Thorn); 8, Selenia lunularia (Lunar Thorn); 9, Selenia tetralunaria (Purple Thorn); 10, Odontopera bidentata (Scalloped Hazel); 11, Crocallis elinguaria (Scalloped Oak); 12a-b, Angerona prunaria (Orange Moth, male and female); 13, Colotois pennaria (Feathered Thorn). 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. • Assorted Ennominae (‘Thorns’, with larvae): Humphreys, 1860. ‘THORNS’. 1 & 2, Colotois pennaria (Feathered Thorn); 3 & 4, Crocallis elinguaria (Scalloped Oak); 5 & 6, Odontopera bidentata (Scalloped Hazel); 7, Ennomos autumnaria (Large Thorn); 8 & 9, Ennomos alniaria (Canary-shouldered Thorn); 10 & 11, Ennomos erosaria (September Thorn); 12 & 13, Ennomos quercinaria (August Thorn); 14, Selenia tetralunaria (Purple Thorn). From Humphreys (1860).
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’.
