Geometridae : Larentiinae
Cypress Carpet
THERA cupressata (Geyer, [1831])
Cypress Carpet
THERA cupressata (Geyer, [1831])
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 28-32mm
Worldwide Distribution: Western Europe - not Portugal : North Africa-Tunisia : Greece
UK Distribution: Southern England - Hampshire incl. Isle of Weight,Dorset,Surrey,Sussex,Devon,Cornwall - First recorded in west Sussex in 1984,in Kent in 1999 and Channel Isles,1985 where it is now frequent and widespread.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Parkland : Gardens
Similar Species -
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: Although superficially similar to the Juniper Carpet - Thera juniperata (Linnaeus, 1758) this moth is easily recognised by the forewing blackish brown streaks towards the apex,with another on edge of dorsum and a thinner streak inside the median area. The median band markings are quite often feint and indistinct as shown in photos below as opposed to the Juniper Carpet which has markings which are well defined.
This moth was first recorded in this country in West Sussex in 1984 and has slowly expanded its range, and although usually a coastal species indicating possible immigration it has slowly moved further north and is now regularly recorded in north Hampshire. As a parkland and garden species it is possibly the use of Cupressocyparis leylandii as a hedging plant that has assisted this expansion of the species.
The moth is attracted to the light and appears at the moth trap in small numbers.
Worldwide Distribution: Western Europe - not Portugal : North Africa-Tunisia : Greece
UK Distribution: Southern England - Hampshire incl. Isle of Weight,Dorset,Surrey,Sussex,Devon,Cornwall - First recorded in west Sussex in 1984,in Kent in 1999 and Channel Isles,1985 where it is now frequent and widespread.
UK Conservation Status -
- Local = 101-300 10km squares
- Least Concern
- Geometra compressata (Geyer, [1831])
- Geometra variata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
- Not Specified
Habitat: Parkland : Gardens
Similar Species -
- Juniper Carpet - Thera juniperata (Linnaeus, 1758)
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: Although superficially similar to the Juniper Carpet - Thera juniperata (Linnaeus, 1758) this moth is easily recognised by the forewing blackish brown streaks towards the apex,with another on edge of dorsum and a thinner streak inside the median area. The median band markings are quite often feint and indistinct as shown in photos below as opposed to the Juniper Carpet which has markings which are well defined.
This moth was first recorded in this country in West Sussex in 1984 and has slowly expanded its range, and although usually a coastal species indicating possible immigration it has slowly moved further north and is now regularly recorded in north Hampshire. As a parkland and garden species it is possibly the use of Cupressocyparis leylandii as a hedging plant that has assisted this expansion of the species.
The moth is attracted to the light and appears at the moth trap 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.
- Cupressaceae - Cypress Family
- Cupressocyparis leylandii - Leyland Cypress
- Cupressus macrocarpa - Monterey Cypress
- Juniperus sabina - Savine - Tam Juniper
- Cupressocyparis leylandii - Leyland Cypress
Larval Food Plants
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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 - THERA: Original Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Cidariini THERA Stephens, 1831 Thera cupressata (Geyer,[1831]) - Geometra variata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - GEOMETRA cupressata (Geyer,[1831]) - Sammlung europäischer Schmetterlinge / errichtet von Jacob Hübner in Augsburg. By Hübner, Jacob, 1761-1826 Lepidoptera V : Geometra 1 : pl. 107 - f. 563 - Not Specified |