Geometridae : Sterrhinae
Riband Wave
IDAEA aversata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Riband Wave
IDAEA aversata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 30-35mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Near East : North Africa
UK Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the United Kingdom.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: A wide variety of habitats including : Gardens : Woodland : Hedges : Grasslands : Heathland : Coastal regions
Similar Species -
Larva: July-May : The caterpiller or "inchworm" final instar is brown with a fine yellowish-white lateral line and a "V" band when viewed from above in the same colour on the second abdominal segment behind the head.The caterpillar feeds on a range of herbaceous plants, including docks and dandelions
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon near the ground in plant debris
Observations: The nominate form of Riband Wave has a grey cross band in the second and third cross-lines on the forewing from which the moth gets its name and the base colour of the moth is light grey.
In f. remutata the background colour is sandy brown and the second and third cross-lines are unfilled.
Another identifying mark with the Riband Wave which helps differentiate it from the similar species is the kink at the end of the third cross-line as it joins the leading edge of the forewing.
The similar species Plain Wave I.straminata is very similar to the Riband Wave f.remutata whereas the Portland Ribbon wave I.degenararia is very similar to the nominate form of Riband Wave.
In the south both forms of the moth are common but f.remutata is prominate in the north.
Can be disturbed during the day,visiting flowers from dusk. The moth comes to light,often in good numbers.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Near East : North Africa
UK Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the United Kingdom.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena aversata Linnaeus 1758
- Phalaena aversata Linnaeus, 1758
- Finland
Habitat: A wide variety of habitats including : Gardens : Woodland : Hedges : Grasslands : Heathland : Coastal regions
Similar Species -
- Plain Wave Idaea straminata Borkhausen, 1794
- Portland Ribbon Wave Idaea degeneraria Hübner, 1799
Larva: July-May : The caterpiller or "inchworm" final instar is brown with a fine yellowish-white lateral line and a "V" band when viewed from above in the same colour on the second abdominal segment behind the head.The caterpillar feeds on a range of herbaceous plants, including docks and dandelions
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon near the ground in plant debris
Observations: The nominate form of Riband Wave has a grey cross band in the second and third cross-lines on the forewing from which the moth gets its name and the base colour of the moth is light grey.
In f. remutata the background colour is sandy brown and the second and third cross-lines are unfilled.
Another identifying mark with the Riband Wave which helps differentiate it from the similar species is the kink at the end of the third cross-line as it joins the leading edge of the forewing.
The similar species Plain Wave I.straminata is very similar to the Riband Wave f.remutata whereas the Portland Ribbon wave I.degenararia is very similar to the nominate form of Riband Wave.
In the south both forms of the moth are common but f.remutata is prominate in the north.
Can be disturbed during the day,visiting flowers from dusk. The moth comes to light,often in good numbers.
Photo Gallery
Forms
I.a.f.remutata Linnaeus, 1758
I.a.f.remutata Linnaeus, 1758
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
- Taraxacum officinale - Common Dandelion
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder (on dead leaves)
- Ericaceae - Heather Family
- Calluna vulgaris - Common Heather - Ling
- Vaccinium myrtilus - Bilberry - Blue Whortleberry
- Fabaceae - Leguminosea - Pulse - Bean - Pea - Legume Family
- Genista tinctoria - Dyer's Greenweed (on dead leaves)
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Polygonium aviculare - Postrate Knotweed
- Primulaceae - Primrose Family
- Primula vulgaris - Primrose
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Geum urbanum - Wood Avens
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup Family
- Clematis recta - Erect Clematis (on dead leaves)
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Caryophyllaceae - Stellaria - Stitchworts & Chickweed
- Rubiaceae - Galium - Bedstraws
- Scrophulariaceae - Melampyrum - Cow Wheat
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Clematis recta - Erect Clematis (on dead leaves)
Larval Food Plant Slideshow
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Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - IDAEA: Original Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Sterrhinae Idaeini IDAEA Treitschke, 1825 Idaea aversata (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena aversata (Linnaeus 1758) - PHALAENA aversata (Linnaeus 1758) = remutata Linnaeus 1758 = griseocorsa Schawerda 1929 = lividata Clerck 1759 - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Cover page : p.526 - n.177 - Finland - I.a.f.remutata Linnaeus, 1758 - Median area same as background colour I.a.f.lividata Clerck, 1758 - Median line reduced I.a.f.aurata Fuchs, 1900 - Orangy/Yellow background-dark line I.a.f.aureopoliata Bold, 1925 - As above-without line I.a.f.latefasciata Wehrli, 1913 - Wider median line I.a.f.tenuifascata Lempke, 1949 - Median line narrower I.a.f.suffusa Lempke, 1949 - Background suffused with black scales appearing grey I.a.f.unilineata Lempke, 1949 - As remutata without postmedial cross line I.a.f.impuncta Lempke, 1949 - Discal spot missing I.a.f.bilineata Lempke, 1967 - Median area missing I.a.f.marginata Lempke, 1967 - Distal area darkened but not central area I.a.f.atrata Fuchs, 1904 - Suffused with black scales,lines still strong I.a.f.fuliginata Haworth, 1809 - Dark form I.a.f.variegata Leraut - Pale grey,cross lines blurred,black marginal edging |
