Geometridae : Larentiinae
Pretty Chalk Carpet
MELANTHIA procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
Pretty Chalk Carpet
MELANTHIA procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 32-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe east to Japan and Sakhalin
UK Distribution: South-east England,southern East Anglia - well distributed and frequent : South-west England,north to Lincolnshire,west Midlands,Monmouthshire - more local : Wales -south coast - local
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Woodland edges : Hedgrows
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates overwinter in leaf litter or light soil
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: As the vernacular name implies this is a chalky white moth with a median band consisting of two dark areas from costa half way across the forewing and a central section that gives the appearance of white tiling.The basal area is dark and the white terminal line is interupted midway with a white patch.The subtermial line is brownish.
The moth can be disturbed during the day and is attracted to light.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe east to Japan and Sakhalin
UK Distribution: South-east England,southern East Anglia - well distributed and frequent : South-west England,north to Lincolnshire,west Midlands,Monmouthshire - more local : Wales -south coast - local
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = > 300 10km squares
- Least Concern
- Phalaena (Geometra) procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
- Geometra procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775)
- Austria - near Vienna
Habitat: Woodland edges : Hedgrows
Similar Species -
- None
Pupa: Pupates overwinter in leaf litter or light soil
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: As the vernacular name implies this is a chalky white moth with a median band consisting of two dark areas from costa half way across the forewing and a central section that gives the appearance of white tiling.The basal area is dark and the white terminal line is interupted midway with a white patch.The subtermial line is brownish.
The moth can be disturbed during the day and is attracted to light.
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.
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Clematis vitalba - Traveller's Joy
Larval Food Plants
|
|
|
Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - MELANTHIA: Original Species Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms: Subspecies: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Larentiinae Melanthiini MELANTHIA Duponchel,1829 Melanthia procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775) - Geometra procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775) - PHALAENA (Geometra) procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775) - Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.114 - n.1 - Austria - near Vienna - P.p.f.fasciata Hoffmann,1917 - dark lines in median area - M.p.procellata ([Denis & Schiffermüller],1775) - Nominate subspecies M.p inquinata (Butler, 1878) - Russian far east |