Geometridae : Ennominae
Pale Brindled Beauty
PHIGALIA pilosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Pale Brindled Beauty
PHIGALIA pilosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 35-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe,except Sardinia,Crete & Cyprus : Caucusus : Daghestan : Transcaucasia
UK Distribution: England,Wales & lowland Scotland - well distributed & frequent : Isle of Man - local & infrequent : Channel Isles - not recorded since early 20th century : Ireland - fairly distributed & quite frequent : North of region - rare
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Broadleaved woodland : Gardens : Small wooded areas where LFP grows
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates in underground cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: Although the moth is similar to the Brindled Beauty Brindled Beauty L. hirtaria Clerck, 1759 it is generally smaller and paler with traverse lines that are lighter,unlike its similar species which has very dark traverse lines. This moth also flies much earlier in the season,usually January to March as apposed to March and April with the Brindled Beauty.
The moth has extremely variable brindle markings with some males bieng very dark whilst other specimens light greyish or greenish grey.The melanic form of this moth, f.monacharia Staudinger,1901 is a blackish smokey tone.These dark tones are usually found in cities where air pollution used to be a problem and these colours provided better camouflage.
The female of the species is brown and wingless and can be found at the base of trees just after dawn and unlike the male she is less hairy.
The males are attracted to light and can be found in good numbers at the moth trap where the larval food plants are most prevalent,like a broadleaved forest.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe,except Sardinia,Crete & Cyprus : Caucusus : Daghestan : Transcaucasia
UK Distribution: England,Wales & lowland Scotland - well distributed & frequent : Isle of Man - local & infrequent : Channel Isles - not recorded since early 20th century : Ireland - fairly distributed & quite frequent : North of region - rare
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Geometra pilosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
- Geometra pilosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
- Austria - Vienna region
Habitat: Broadleaved woodland : Gardens : Small wooded areas where LFP grows
Similar Species -
- Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria Clerck, 1759
Pupa: Pupates in underground cocoon
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: Although the moth is similar to the Brindled Beauty Brindled Beauty L. hirtaria Clerck, 1759 it is generally smaller and paler with traverse lines that are lighter,unlike its similar species which has very dark traverse lines. This moth also flies much earlier in the season,usually January to March as apposed to March and April with the Brindled Beauty.
The moth has extremely variable brindle markings with some males bieng very dark whilst other specimens light greyish or greenish grey.The melanic form of this moth, f.monacharia Staudinger,1901 is a blackish smokey tone.These dark tones are usually found in cities where air pollution used to be a problem and these colours provided better camouflage.
The female of the species is brown and wingless and can be found at the base of trees just after dawn and unlike the male she is less hairy.
The males are attracted to light and can be found in good numbers at the moth trap where the larval food plants are most prevalent,like a broadleaved forest.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Pale Brindled Beauty larvae feed on plant families described below plant photos and other broad-leaved trees.
Pale Brindled Beauty larvae feed on plant families described below plant photos and other broad-leaved trees.
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.
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Betula pubescens - Downy Birch
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Elaeagnaceae - Oleaster Family
- Hippophae rhamnoides - Sea Buckthorn
- Rhamnaceae - The Buckthorn Family
- Rhamnus frangula - Alder Buckthorn
- Rhamnus cathartica - Common Buckthorn
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Crataegus monogyna - Hawthorn
- Crataegus laevigata - Midland Hawthorn
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry - Hackberry
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn - Sloe(Britain)
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Tiliaceae - Lime - Linden Family
- Tilia vulgaris - Lime - Linden
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 - PHIGALIA: Nominotypical subspecies: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Ennominae Bistonini PHIGALIA Dupontchel, 1829 Phigalia pilosaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - Geometra pilosaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 - Geometra pilosaria pilosaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 - GEOMETRA pilosaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 = Apocheima pilosaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 = Phigalia pedaria Fabricius, 1787 - Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.100 - n.6 - Austria - Vienna district - P.p.f uniformata Lempke, 1953 - forewing,uniformly grey-brown with a greenish tint without white spots P.p.f obscurata damage Werda, 1919 - forewing is dark olive brown P.p.f destrigaria Lempke, 1953 - transverse lines missing on the fore wings, or feint P.p.f tangens Lempke, 1953 - traverse lines closer together P.p.f lichenea Leraut, 2009 - front wing is olive green with strongly contrasting white spots, pattern reminiscent of lichen P.p.f grisescens Leraut, 2009 - the forewings is white grey, the drawing without grey olive tint, the thorax is also grey P.p.f flavescens Leraut, 2009 - forewing is reddish beige, markings blurred or missing, thorax yellowish grey, hindwing white with yellowish tint P.p.f pallescens Leraut, 2009) - wings light greyish olive, markings are very weak, thorax light yellowish gray. P.p.f monacharia Staudinger, 1901 - forewing blackish smokey tone P.p.f extinctaria Stand, 1947 - forewings are uniformly dark grey,markings showing P.p.f nervosa Lempke, 1970 - forewing venation darkened P.p.f fasciaria Richardson, 1952 - dark median area P.p.f clausa Lempke, 1970 - ante & postmedial lines toch inner margin of forewing P.p.f subnigraria Uffeln, 1914 - Female colouration dark and sombre - P.p.pilosaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 - Nominate subspecies P.p.meridionalis Constantini 1916 P.p.prostae Leraut 1996 |