Geometridae : Larentiinae
Green Carpet
COLOSTYGIA pectinataria (Knoch, 1781)
Green Carpet
COLOSTYGIA pectinataria (Knoch, 1781)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 22-27mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Caucasus : Transcaucasus : Urals
UK Distribution: Resident : Common & widespread throughout England : Wales : Scotland : Ireland : Isle of Man : Less common on the Channel Isles.
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Gardens : Roadsides : Hedgerows : Calcareous grassland : Heaths : Open woodland : Fens : Moorland
Similar Species -
Larva: The final instar larva is light brown with a series of off white lateral lines and a dark brown dashed lateral line along the centre of the caterpillar
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon in loose earth.
Overwinters as : Overwinters as a larva. June-July & September-May-two generations. : August-May-single generation.
Observations: The Green Carpet when emerged has a forewing background colour that gives the moth its name, but being a very active moth, this soon fades to yellowish brown or white.
The forewing black markings are very distinctive in this moth making it easy to identify, even when faded.
As shown above the Green Carpet is double brooded in the south and single brooded in the north.
The second brood specimen shown below, found in my garden, was very partial to imbibing on Hemp Agrimony at dusk, something I observed on two consecutive days.
The moth is also attracted to light but is normally recorded in small numbers.
The larvae of this moth tend to feed on Bedstraws but have also been recorded on Cleavers,White Deadnettle and Tea-leaved Willow.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : Caucasus : Transcaucasus : Urals
UK Distribution: Resident : Common & widespread throughout England : Wales : Scotland : Ireland : Isle of Man : Less common on the Channel Isles.
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena pectinataria Knoch 1781
- Geometra turbata Hübner, 1799
- Not Specified
Habitat: Gardens : Roadsides : Hedgerows : Calcareous grassland : Heaths : Open woodland : Fens : Moorland
Similar Species -
- None
Larva: The final instar larva is light brown with a series of off white lateral lines and a dark brown dashed lateral line along the centre of the caterpillar
Pupa: Pupates in a cocoon in loose earth.
Overwinters as : Overwinters as a larva. June-July & September-May-two generations. : August-May-single generation.
Observations: The Green Carpet when emerged has a forewing background colour that gives the moth its name, but being a very active moth, this soon fades to yellowish brown or white.
The forewing black markings are very distinctive in this moth making it easy to identify, even when faded.
As shown above the Green Carpet is double brooded in the south and single brooded in the north.
The second brood specimen shown below, found in my garden, was very partial to imbibing on Hemp Agrimony at dusk, something I observed on two consecutive days.
The moth is also attracted to light but is normally recorded in small numbers.
The larvae of this moth tend to feed on Bedstraws but have also been recorded on Cleavers,White Deadnettle and Tea-leaved Willow.
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.
- Lamiaceae - Labiatae - The Mint Family
- Lamium album - White Dead Nettle
- Origanum vulgare - Oregano : Wild Marjoram
- Poaceae - Gramineae - True Grasses Family
- Festuca ovina - Sheep's fescue
- Rubiaceae - Bedstraw Family
- Galium aparine - Goosegrass - Cleavers
- Galium mullugo - Hedge Bedstraw
- Galium odoratum - Sweet Woodruff
- Galium palustre - Marsh Bedstraw
- Galium saxatile - Heath Bedstraw
- Galium sylvaticum - Wood Bedstraw
- Galium verum - Lady's Bedstraw
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix Pulchra - Tealeaf Willow
Larval Food Plant Slideshow
|
|
|
|
Taxonomy
|
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - COLOSTYGIA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Genus Group Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Cidariini COLOSTYGIA Hübner, [1825] Colostygia pectinataria (Knock, 1781) - Geometra turbata Hübner, 1799 PHALAENA pectinataria (Knoch 1781) = Colostygia viridaria Fabricius, 1775 = Colostygia miaria Boorkhausen, 1794 - = COLOSTYGIA Hübner [1825] = Calostigia Hübner [1825] - Beyträge zur Insektengeschichte. I. Stück. - pp. 1-12, 1-99, Tab. I-VI [= 1-6]. Leipzig. (Schwickert) : Title Page : p.55 - n.11 - Not Specified |