Geometridae : Larentiinae
Common Carpet
EPIRRHOE alternata (Müller, 1764)
Subspecies
E. a. obcurata (South, 1888) - Outer Hebrides
Common Carpet
EPIRRHOE alternata (Müller, 1764)
Subspecies
E. a. obcurata (South, 1888) - Outer Hebrides
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 27-30mm
Worldwide Distribution: North America : Europe : Iceland to Eastern Siberia & Japan : Not found in Sardinia,Malta,Croatia & Turkey.
UK Distribution: Common and well distributed throughout England,Wales, Isle of Man, Ireland, Inner Hebrides and Orkney and the Channel Isles.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Gardens and other urban situations : Hedgerows : Woodland : Calcareous downland : Heathland : Mooorland : Fens : Marshes : Sand Dunes
Similar Species -
Pupa: Overwinters as pupa,in a cocoon on the ground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The Common Carpet is distinguished from its similar species the Wood Carpet E.rivata by having light wavy dark lines through the white cross markings on the forewing and hindwings,something that is missing in E.riviata.
The moth is a common and well distributed throughout England,Wales,Isle of Man,Ireland,Inner Hebrides and Orkney and the Channel Isles. E..a.obscurata found in Outer Hebrides where it is frequent.
E.a.obscurata is a much paler looking moth with a central cross band that is brown rather than the predominate subspecies which is much darker,sometimes grey. See photo 2.
Worldwide Distribution: North America : Europe : Iceland to Eastern Siberia & Japan : Not found in Sardinia,Malta,Croatia & Turkey.
UK Distribution: Common and well distributed throughout England,Wales, Isle of Man, Ireland, Inner Hebrides and Orkney and the Channel Isles.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Geometra) alternata Muller 1764
- Geometra rivata Hübner, 1813
- 'In prato'(In Meadow!)-possibly Denmark
Habitat: Gardens and other urban situations : Hedgerows : Woodland : Calcareous downland : Heathland : Mooorland : Fens : Marshes : Sand Dunes
Similar Species -
- Wood Carpet Epirrhoe rivata Hübner, 1813
- Galium Carpet Epirrhoe galiata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
Pupa: Overwinters as pupa,in a cocoon on the ground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The Common Carpet is distinguished from its similar species the Wood Carpet E.rivata by having light wavy dark lines through the white cross markings on the forewing and hindwings,something that is missing in E.riviata.
The moth is a common and well distributed throughout England,Wales,Isle of Man,Ireland,Inner Hebrides and Orkney and the Channel Isles. E..a.obscurata found in Outer Hebrides where it is frequent.
E.a.obscurata is a much paler looking moth with a central cross band that is brown rather than the predominate subspecies which is much darker,sometimes grey. See photo 2.
Subspecies
E. a. alternata (Linnaeus, 1758) - Nominate subspecies
E. a. alternata (Linnaeus, 1758) - Nominate subspecies
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.
- Rubiaceae - Bedstraw Family
- Galium aparine - Goosegrass : Cleavers
- Galium mullugo - Hedge Bedstraw
- Galium sylvaticum - Wood Bedstraw
- Galium verum - Lady's Bedstraw
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 - EPIRRHOE: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality Forms/Aberrations: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Xanthorhoini EPIRRHOE Hübner, [1823] Epirrhoe alternata (Müller, 1764) - Geometra rivata Hübner, 1813 - PHALAENA (Geometra) alternata (Muller 1764) = Phalaena sociata Borkhausen, 1794 = Epirrhoe latevittata Turati, 1913 = Epirrhoe subtristata Haworth, 1809 = Epirrrhoe degenerata Haworth, 1809 = Epirrhoe contristata Donovan, 1811 = Epirrhoe biriviata Stainton, 1859 = Larentia latevittata Turati, 1913 = Cidaria islandica Prout, 1915 - Müller, O. F. 1764. Favna insectorvm Fridrichsdalina : Title Page : p.51 - n.452 - 'In prato'(In Meadow!)-probably Denmark - E.a.divisa Osthhelder, 1929-Median band crossed by white line E.a.tenuifasciata Schima, 1927-Narrow median band E.a.effusa Müller, 1930-Contours of median line not clear E.a.psuedorivata Wagner, 1923-Strong white subterminal line E.a.obscura Lempke, 1950-White line bordering median area narrow and divided by black line,hindwing base darker E.a.cingulata Tengström, 1875-Wings and abdomen much darker E.a.obscurata South, 1888 - E.a.obcurata South, 1888-Outer Hebrides E.a.alternata Müller, 1764 - Nominate subspecies E.a.xenos Bryk, 1942 |