70.097 : 1764 : 8348
Geometridae : Larentiinae

Common Marbled Carpet

DYSSTROMA truncata (Hufnagel, 1767)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 24-30mm
Worldwide Distribution:  Palearctic Region and Near East
UK Distribution: Resident : Common and well distributed throughout Britain,Ireland,Channel Isles and Isle of Man
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena truncata Hufnagel 1767
Type Species - Dysstroma
  • Geometra russata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
Type Locality -
  • Not Specified
Flight Period: May-June & August-October-two generations : Parts of  Scotland and Ireland-Early July-August-single generation
Habitat: Wide variety of habitat types including-Gardens : Parks : Downland : Woodland : Scrub : Hedgerows : Heathland : Moorland
Similar Species -
  • Dark Marbled Carpet Chloroclysta citrata Linnaeus, 1761
Larva: September-May & June-August-two generations : Late August-June-Single generation: The "looper" caterpillar,typical of the geometrids and named from its looping gait, has two or three pairs of legs at both ends and missing prolegs in the middle and is light green with a ruddy lateral line down the side of the caterpillar,something that can be missing in some individuals.
Pupa: Pupates within food plant
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The Common Marbled Carpet is a very variable species with many forms similar to the Dark Marbled Carpet CHLOROClYSTA citrata. There is a large forewing  patch between the antemedial  and subterminal cross-lines  which varies considerably between the different forms of this moth with the  dark grey/blackish forms predominating in the south but there are also forms showing where this patch is orange (see below) or brown.
The hind wings are a pale straw colour with a faint cross-line or fascia.

Careful study of the Dark Marbled Carpet C.citrata is necessary in order to differentiate it from the Common Marbled Carpet

This moth is attracted to light and to sugar with later sightings being attracted to the autumn harvest of ripe blackberries and ivy blossom.


Subspecies
D.t.truncata (Hufnagel, 1767) - Great Britain

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.
Larval Food Plant Slideshow
Taxonomy
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Type Species - DYSSTROMA:

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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometroidea
Geometridae
Larentiinae
Cidariini
DYSSTROMA Hübner, [1825]
Dysstroma truncata (Hufnagel, 1767)
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Geometra russata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
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PHALAENA truncata (Hufnagel 1767)
= Chloroclysta truncata Hufnagel, 1767
= Geometra russata Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775
= Larentia truncata
= Cidaria truncata
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Phalaena truncata truncata (Hufnagel 1767)
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Berlin. Magazin. 4 (6) : Title Page : p.602 - n.56
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Not Specified
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D.t.f.centumnotata Schulze, 1775-Median area white
D.t.f.rufescens Ström, 1783-Median area russet -yellow hues
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D.t.truncata (Hufnagel, 1767) - Great Britain
D.t.transbaicalensis Heydemann, 1929
D.t.traversata Kellicott, 1886