Geometridae : Larentiinae
Small Yellow Wave
HYDRELIA flammeolaria (Hufnagel, 1767)
Small Yellow Wave
HYDRELIA flammeolaria (Hufnagel, 1767)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 20-22mm
Worldwide Distribution: Eastwards of Great Britain and Spain to Japan and the Amur Region of NE China and SE Siberia : Europe - not Portugal,Greece and some of the Mediterranean Islands
UK Distribution: England and Wales north to Yorkshire - well distributed and locally frequent : Further North to Scotland - very localised : Isle of Man - seldom seen : Channel Isles - local and occasional
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Broadleaved Woodland : Hedgerows : Isolated trees are also used
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates among leaf litter or debris
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This beautiful little moth is unmistakeable with its straw coloured wing background highlighted by the varied sandy brown cross lines and the small but distinct black or dark brown discal spot.
The postmedian cross line and terminal cross line are joined at the centre of the forewing with a yellow brown bar which extends to the wing fringes.
The moth feeds on Maples,Alders and Willow and is known to colonise a single isolated tree where they can be disturbed on low branches during the daytime.
The moth is attracted to light where they can appear at the moth trap in small numbers.
Worldwide Distribution: Eastwards of Great Britain and Spain to Japan and the Amur Region of NE China and SE Siberia : Europe - not Portugal,Greece and some of the Mediterranean Islands
UK Distribution: England and Wales north to Yorkshire - well distributed and locally frequent : Further North to Scotland - very localised : Isle of Man - seldom seen : Channel Isles - local and occasional
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena flammeolaria (Hufnagel, 1767)
- Geometra sylvata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
- Austria - near Vienna
Habitat: Broadleaved Woodland : Hedgerows : Isolated trees are also used
Similar Species -
- None
Pupa: Pupates among leaf litter or debris
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This beautiful little moth is unmistakeable with its straw coloured wing background highlighted by the varied sandy brown cross lines and the small but distinct black or dark brown discal spot.
The postmedian cross line and terminal cross line are joined at the centre of the forewing with a yellow brown bar which extends to the wing fringes.
The moth feeds on Maples,Alders and Willow and is known to colonise a single isolated tree where they can be disturbed on low branches during the daytime.
The moth is attracted to light where they can appear 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.
- Aceraceae - Maple Family
- Acer campestre - Field Maple
- Acer platanoides - Norway Maple
- Acer pseudoplatanus - Sycamore
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder
- Anus incana - Grey Alder
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
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 - HYDRELIA: Original Species Name: Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Asthenini HYDRELIA Hübner [1825] Hydrelia flammeolaria (Hufnagel, 1767) - Geometra sylvata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775) - PHALAENA flammeolaria (Hufnagel, 1767) = luteata (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) - Berlin. Magazin. 4 (5) : Title Page : p.510 - n.11 - Austria - near Vienna - H.f.f.confluens Hoffmann, 1917 - median lines join H.f.f.luteosignata Lempke, 1950 - cross lines dark yellow H.f.f.brunneosignata Lempke, 1969 - cross lines brown H.f.f.fasciata Lempke, 1969 - broad traverse band on all four wings |