| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Adults. Antennae of males bipectinate (T. firmata), or simple. Face rough.
Wingspan 24–35 mm. Forewings relatively narrow-elongate to relatively broad. The outer margin of the forewing convexly curved. Forewings not predominantly green, yellow, or black; whitish-fuscous, grey, olive-, reddish-ochreous, ochreous-brown or brown; predominantly whitish, or ochreous, or light brown, or brown, or pale fuscous, or pale grey, or grey; with a clear discal mark (usually, this blackish), or without a clear discal mark; with a distinct median band, or without a median band (the band usually more or less conspicuously dark, but occasionally obscure); without an oblique red stripe. The outer margin of the hindwings smooth. Hindwings plain; whitish, pale fuscous or pale ochreous; predominantly whitish, or pale ochreous, or pale fuscous; not predominantly green, yellow, or black; with a clear discal mark to without a clear discal mark; transversely lined (sometimes with a faint postmedian line), or 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 Pinus and Juniperus.
British representation. 5 species; South-east England, Central-southern England, South-west England, English Midlands, Northern England, Southern Scotland, Northern Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Living adults found May to October (sometimes double brooded). T. cognata (Chestnut-coloured Carpet), T. cupressata (Cypress Carpet, adventive), T. firmata (Pine Carpet), T. juniperata (Juniper Carpet), T. obeliscata (Grey Pine Carpet), T. britannica (Spruce Carpet).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • 5 Thera spp., with Chloroclysta, Cidaria, Eulithis, Plemyria: Newman (1869). 1, Eulithis prunata (The Phoenix); 2, Eulithis mellinata (The Spinach); 3a-b, Eulithis testata (The Chevron); 4a-b, Eulithis populata (The Northern Spinach); 5, Eulithis pyraliata (The Barred Straw); 6a-f, Ecliptopera saliceata (The Small Phoenix); 7, Chloroclysta siterata (Red-green Carpet); 8, Chloroclysta siterata (Autumn Green Carpet); 9a-c, Chloroclysta truncata (Marbled Carpet); 10a-b, Chloroclysta citrata (Dark Marbled Carpet); 11, Cidaria fulvata (The Barred Yellow); 12, Thera cognata (Chestnut-coloured Carpet); 13, Thera juniperata (Juniper Carpet); 14, Thera firmata (Pine Carpet); 15, Thera obeliscata (Grey Pine Carpet); 16a, Plemyria rubiginata (Blue-bordered Carpet, typical form); 16b, Plemyria rubiginata (Blue-bordered Carpet, var). From Newman (1869). • T. juniperata (Juniper Carpet) and C. britannica (Spruce Carpet), 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. • Larentiinae: Thera cognata (Chestnut-coloured Carpet: B. Ent. 519). • Thera cognata: B. Ent. 519, legend+text. • Thera cognata: B. Ent. 519, text cont..
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’.
