Ematurga atomaria Linnaeus, 1758 ♂
Common names: Common heath [En], Phalène picotée [Fr], Gewone heispanner [Nl], Heidespanner [De]

Retezat National Park, HUNEDOARA ● Romania

Description: The wingspan is 24–34 millimetres. The colour is variable ranging from yellow-brown to dark brown. The appearance is mottled with bands and spots. The brown cross bands on both forewings and hindwinds vary in width and there may be no cross bands at all only small dark brownish spots. Males have comb-like antennae. Females are usually brown with a dusting of white but can be almost white with a series of brown crosslines.

Biology: The moths fly in one generation from May to June. The caterpillars feed on heather (Calluna), heath (Erica) and clovers (Trifolium spp.). Adults fly during daytime.

Habitat: Heaths, moorland and open woodland.

Distribution: The species can be found in the Palaearctic ecozone from the Iberian Peninsula in the West, Central and Eastern Europe and East to Siberia and Sakhalin. In the South, its range includes the Northern Mediterranean and the Turkish part of the Black Sea region.

References:
Wikipedia, Ematurga atomaria
UK Moths

Created on

Tuesday 19 July 2016

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Romania

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• Lepidoptera / Geometridae

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