| | Insects of Britain and Ireland: the genera of Lepidoptera-Geometridae |
Coremia, Malenydris, Ochyria.
Adults. Antennae of males bipectinate; usually apically simple. Face rough.
Wingspan 24–34 mm. The outer margin of the forewing convexly curved, or sigmoid-curved. Forewings not predominantly green, yellow, or black; whitish, greyish, greyish-ochreous, or reddish-ochreous; with a clear discal mark (this dark fuscous or black); nearly always with a distinct median band (this dark, sometimes incomplete or lighter towards the hind margin). Hindwings plain; whitish, greyish-whitish, grey, fuscous, pale ochreous, etc.; with a clear discal mark, or without a clear discal mark; transversely lined.
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 diverse Dicot herbs, especialy Cruciferae, and X. montanata also on grasses.
British representation. 8 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 August (sometimes double brooded). X. biriviata (Balsam Carpet), X. designata (Flame Carpet), X. ferrugata (Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet), X. fluctuata (Garden Carpet), X. montanata (Silver-ground Carpet), X. decoloraria (Red Carpet), X. spadicearia (Red Twin-spot Carpet), X. quadrifasiata (Large Twin-spot Carpet).
Subfamily. Larentiinae.
Illustrations. • 6 species, with Lythria, Phibalapteryx, Orthonama and Catarhoe: Newman (1869). 1, Lythria purpuraria (Purple-barred Yellow, a-c males, d female); 2, Phibalapteryx virgata (The Oblique-striped); 3(a) & 3(b), Orthonama obstipata (The Gem, female and male); 4, Orthonama vittata (Oblique Carpet); 5, Xanthorhoe designata (Flame Carpet); 6, Xanthorhoe spadicearia (Red Twin-spot Carpet); 7, Xanthorhoe decoloraria (Red Carpet); 8, Xanthorhoe ferrugata (Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet); 9, Xanthorhoe quadrifasciaria (Large Twin-spot Carpet); 10, Xanthorhoe montanata (Silver-ground Carpet); 11(a) & 11(b), Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet, female and male); 12, Catarhoe cuculata (Royal Mantle); 13, Catarhoe rubidata (The Flame, The Ruddy Carpet). From Newman (1869). • 7 Xanthorhoe species, 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’.
