Geometridae : Sterrhinae
Vestal
RHODOMETRA sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767)
Vestal
RHODOMETRA sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767)
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide - Adult Only
Description
Wingspan: 22-28mm
Worldwide Distribution: Eurasia - (less Lithuania,Central,Northern and East Russia) - ranging from Ireland eastwards to China : Africa and nearby Islands : Madagascar : Indo - Malayan Region
UK Distribution: Records for this moth are made every year in Great Britian,Isle of Man, Ireland and Channel Islands the majority occurring on south coast, although has been recorded in northern Scotland.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Warm,open sunny places
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates among leaf litter
Overwinters as: Adult - Unable to survive in numbers during the winter
Observations: This moth is an immigrant from southern Europe, appearing each year in varying numbers,sometimes enough to breed, although the resultant adults are unable to survive the winter in numbers.
The moth is variable in colour but forewing oblique line and "tent" like resting posture,something that does not occur with A.gilvaria,make it easily recognisable.
Moths bred in this country have forewings that are brown or black and generally duller in appearance than the European species which is due to lower temperatures at the pupal stage whilst European pupa experiencing higher temperatures produce moths with lemon yellow background and vivid oblique cross band.
The moth is easily disturbed during the day and is attracted to light.
Worldwide Distribution: Eurasia - (less Lithuania,Central,Northern and East Russia) - ranging from Ireland eastwards to China : Africa and nearby Islands : Madagascar : Indo - Malayan Region
UK Distribution: Records for this moth are made every year in Great Britian,Isle of Man, Ireland and Channel Islands the majority occurring on south coast, although has been recorded in northern Scotland.
UK Conservation Status -
- Migrant
- Least Concern
- Phalaena sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767)
- Phalaena sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767)
- in Barbaria
Habitat: Warm,open sunny places
Similar Species -
- Straw Belle - Aspitates gilvaria - ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Pupa: Pupates among leaf litter
Overwinters as: Adult - Unable to survive in numbers during the winter
Observations: This moth is an immigrant from southern Europe, appearing each year in varying numbers,sometimes enough to breed, although the resultant adults are unable to survive the winter in numbers.
The moth is variable in colour but forewing oblique line and "tent" like resting posture,something that does not occur with A.gilvaria,make it easily recognisable.
Moths bred in this country have forewings that are brown or black and generally duller in appearance than the European species which is due to lower temperatures at the pupal stage whilst European pupa experiencing higher temperatures produce moths with lemon yellow background and vivid oblique cross band.
The moth is easily disturbed during the day and is attracted to light.
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.
- Anacardiaceae - Cashew Family
- Cotinus Coggygria - Smoke Tree, European smoketree
- Asteraceae - Compositae - Aster-Daisy - Sunflower Family
- Taraxacum officinale - Common Dandelion
- Polygonaceae - Docks - Sorrels - Knotweeds - Smartweeds
- Polygonum aviculare - Postrate Knotweed
- Oxygonum sinuatum - No Common Name
- Rumex vesicarius - Bladder Dock
- Rosaceae - Rose
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
Larval Food Plant
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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 - RHODOMETRA: Original Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Sterrhinae Rhodometrini RHODOMETRA Meyrick 1892 Rhodometra sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767) - Phalaena sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767) - PHALAENA sacraria (Linnaeus, 1767) - Syst. Nat. (Edn 12) 1 (2): Title page : p.863 - n.220 - in Barbaria - R.s.f.labda Cramer, 1777 - Oblique line blackish R.s.f.sanguinaria Esper, 1801 - forewing suffused with pink hue R.s.f.excaecaria Fuchs, 1903 - wings yellow,no markings R.s.f.fumosa Prout, 1935 - wings greyish smokey tone R.s.f.aucta Krausse, 1913 - additional pink longitudinal streaks |