Satin Wave

Geomteridae : Sterrhinae

Satin Wave

IDAEA subsericeata (Haworth, 1809)

Kind permission - © Tim Norriss

Life Cycle Guide

Description

Wingspan: 22-25mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - excluding (Azores,Canary Is.,Estonia,Finland,Latvia,Lithuania,Luxembourg,Madeira,Malta,Norway,
Poland,Russia & Sweden) : N Africa - Morocco,Algeria & Tunisia : Armenia
UK Distribution: Central southern & South - eastern England - well distributed and fairly frequent : South - west England,Wales,MIdlands & East Anglia - widespread but thinly distributed : Lincolnshire & Yorkshire - very local : West coast northern England,south-west Scotland - local : Isle of Man,Ireland - very local : Channel Isles - widespread and frequent.
UK Conservation Status -

Common = > 300 10km squares

European Conservation Status -

Least Concern

Original Species Name -

Phalaena subsericeata (Haworth, 1809)

Type Species - Idaea

Phalaena aversata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Type Locality -

Not Specified

Flight Period: South - June - July & August - late September - partial generation : North - June - July - univoltine
Habitat: Woodland : Scrub : Hedgerows : Waste Ground : Gardens on chalk/limestone
Similar Species -

Dotted Border Wave - Idaea sylvestraria - (Hübner, [1799])

Larva: The 20-23mm final instar larva is straw coloured with a greyish brown dorsal line edged both sides dark brown and series of brownish lines laterally.There are a series of dark clouded blotches dorsally in the middle abdominal segments.
Pupa: Pupates among food plant
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The forewings are greyish white and as the name suggests are also satin in appearance with very clear angled cross lines. The central and marginal spots,unlike the similar species,are faint or missing altogether.
The similar species has clearer marginal and discal spots but is much rarer and unlikely to be confused with this moth.

There is a partial second generation in the south occurring late summer,early autumn and the moth is attracted to light but only in small numbers.

Photo Gallery

Larval Food Plants Worldwide

Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.

Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Lactuca sativa - Lettuce
- Solidago virgaurea - Goldenrod
- Taraxacum officinale - Common Dandelion
Caryophyllaceae - Pink and Carnation Family
- Stellaria media - Chickweed
Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Polygonum aviculare - Postrate Knotweed
Primulaceae - Primrose Family
- Anagallis arvensis - Scarlet Pimpernel
Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Prunus domestica ssp. domestic - Greengage or Damson
  - Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
    - Plantaginaceae - Plantago - Plantain
    - Polygonaceae - Rumex - Dock

Larval Food Plants

Taxonomy

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Accepted Species Name:

Type Species : IDAEA:

Original Species Name:

Literary Ref:

Type Locality:

Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometroidea
Geometridae
Sterrhinae
Idaeini
IDAEA Treitschke 1825
Idaea subsericeata (Haworth, 1809)
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Phalaena aversata (Linnaeus, 1758)
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PHALAENA subsericeata (Haworth, 1809)
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Lepidoptera Britannica (3): Title Page : p.352 - n.113
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Not Specified