70.245 : 1663 : 7953
Geometridae : Enomminae

March Moth

ALSOPHILA aescularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 25 - 35mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe - Ireland to Urals,rarer south,Sicily,Sardinia,absent from Corsica,Crete,North Scandinavia & Finland: North Turkey : Caucasus
UK Distribution: Resident & common throughout Great Britain as far north as Inner Hebrides,not usually seen on high ground : Isle of Man - Local : N Ireland & republic- Local : Channel Isles - Jersey,Widespread - Guernsey - rare
UK Conservation Status -
  • Common = >300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Geometra aescularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Type Species - Alsophila
  • Geometra aescularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Type Locality -
  • Austria - Vienna district
Flight Period: South - Late January to early May : Elsewhere late February to late April
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Parks : Anywhere LFP grows
Altitude: up to 1600m
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The 30mm long final instar larva is light green with approximately six thin yellowish lateral around the body
Pupa: Pupates beneath food plant in a thin cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observation: This spring moth is easily identifiable with is arrowhead shaped wings which are overlapped when at rest.
The wings are usually grey brown with subterminal and basal cross-lines which are "saw tooth" like or dentate, with the median area slightly darker than the rest of the forewing.
The female is wingless and is identifiable by the anal tuft of brown hairs and can be found crawling up tree trunks after dark and found at rest in the bark in the morning.

As a woodland moth they are virtually seen wherever their larval food plant grows, which includes gardens and parks.

The males are attracted to light where they can be found in good 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.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom:
Phylum:
Subphylum:
Class:
Order:
Superfamily:
Family:
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Genus:
Accepted Species Name:

Type Species - ALSOPHILA:

Original Species Name:
Species Name:





Literary Ref:


Forms/Aberrations







Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometroidea
Geometridae
Ennominae
Colotoini
ALSOPHILA Hübner,[1825]
Alsophila aescularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
-
Geometra aescularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
-
GEOMETRA aescularia ([Denis & Schiffermüller,] 1775)
= Phalaena hirtaria Fabricius, 1776
= Phalaena hirsutaria Fabricius, 1781
= Geometra apteraria Haworth, 1809
= Phalaena (Geometra) murinaria Borkhausen, 1794, misidentified
= Phalaena (Geometra) liustriaria Borkhausen, 1794, misidentified
-
Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend  : Title Page : p.102 - n.12
-
A.a.albina Lucas, 1912 - background whiteish,blurred markings
A.a.brunnea Hannemann, 1917 - background brownish
A.a.fasciata Lempke, 1949 - median line darker
A.a.tangens Lempke, 1949 - cross line tangential
A.a.nigrescens Lempke, 1967 - background black-greyish black
A.a.latefasciata Lempke, 1967 - broader median area
A.a.impuncta Lempke, - discal spot blurred
-
A. a. urzhumaria Krulikovski, 1909