70.212 : 1890 : 7540
Geometridae : Ennominae

Sharp-angled Peacock

MACARIA alternata ([Dennis & Schiffermüller],1775)
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
 Wingspan: 27-32mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - less Canary Isles,Croatia,Greece,Sicily & most Mediterranean Islands - eastwards to Amur Region of NE China -SE Siberia
UK Distribution: Southern,Isle o Wight,SW England,SW Wales, - Well distributed and fairly frequent : SE England - more local,less frequent : Ireland - rare : Channel Isles - locally frequent
UK Conservation Status -
  • Local = 101 - 300  10km squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Geometra alternata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Type Species -
  • [Phalaena] liturata Clerck, 1759
Type Locality -
  • Austria - near Vienna
Flight Period: Late May - July & August - two generations
Habitat: Open Broadleaved Woodland : Scrubby Heathland : Coastal Sand-dunes
Similar Species -
  • Peacock Moth - Macaria notata - (Linnaeus, 1758)
Larva: The 25mm final instar larva is variable with body colours that range from green,grey or brown with a feint paler dorsal line and a series of thin white lines all over the body. There are the odd darker colour markings laterally along some segments.
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon just beneath the soil.
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: This moth is similar to the Peacock moth although this moth has defining features that make identification relatively easy. This moth has a greyish band that runs through the blackish markings on the forewing and hindwing although greyish specimens tend to blend in with this cross band, which is only seen on this species.The brown apical marking is bolder with this moth which highlights the sharper apex.The termen notch is also deeper and clearly defined with this moth.

The moth flies from dusk 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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species - MACARIA:

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Forms:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometroidea
Geometridae
Ennominae
Macariini
MACARIA Curtis, 1826
Macaria alternata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
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[Phalaena] liturata Clerck, 1759
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GEOMETRA alternata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
= alternaria (Hübner, 1809)
= Semitohisa alternaria
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= MACARIA Curtis 1826
= Pygmaena Boisduval 1840
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[Denis, M. & JI Schiffermüller] (1775): Ankündung a systematic work of the butterflies of the Vienna Area edited by some teachers at kk Theresianum. 1-323, pl. I a + b, frontispiece. Vienna (Augustin Bernardi)
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Austria - near Vienna
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M.a.f.lineata Lempke, 1953 - Ante & Postmedian lines pronounced
M.a.f.demaculata Heinrich, 1923 - spot in centre postmedian line missing
M.a.f.costanuda Lempke, 1953 - costal spots missing
M.a.f.lunulacarens Lempke, 1953 - dark subapical half-mooon spot blurred out- as in notata
M.a.f.lutescens Lempke, 1953 - wing background yellowish
M.a.f.fusca Lemke, 1953 - background has smokey hue