Geometridae : Enomminae
Willow Beauty
PERIBATODES rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Willow Beauty
PERIBATODES rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Life cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 30-38mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : N W Africa : Scandanavia
UK Distribution: Resident : England,Wales,Ireland,Southern Scotland-not Orkney and Shetland Isles -Common and well distributed in most of these areas : Isle of Man-local and infrequent : Channel Islands-widespread and common
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows : Parks
Similar Species -
Larva: Southern England-July-June : The larvae are polyphagous feeding from a very wide range of plant genera encompassing numerous plant families.The final instar larva is reddish brown with feint zig-zag white lateral lines along the body and feint series of white lines at the abdominal segments.
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon attached to the food plant or amongst plant debris.
Observations: The main defining feature differentiating the Willow Beauty P.rhomboidaria from its list of similar species is the forewing central fascia line which arcs back to the costa in a semi-circle tweaking inwards as it reaches the leading edge.
Another defining feature is the first two fascia lines start at the costa(leading edge of forewing)and are wide apart but as they meet at the dorsum (trailing edge) the lines join together. This feature does not appear in the similar species so careful study of the fascias is necessary to positively identify the Willow Beauty.
The background colour of this species is also variable in the range between light brown and blackish grey the latter often being identified where industrial areas promote darker forms as a means of camouflage.
Second generations of the Marbled Beauty tends to be smaller.
A moth that arrives at the moth trap in good numbers it is often found during the day on trees,fences or walls.
The moth is also attracted to flowers after dark.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : N W Africa : Scandanavia
UK Distribution: Resident : England,Wales,Ireland,Southern Scotland-not Orkney and Shetland Isles -Common and well distributed in most of these areas : Isle of Man-local and infrequent : Channel Islands-widespread and common
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Geometra rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller] 1775)
- Geometra rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller] 1775)
- Austria-near Vienna
Habitat: Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows : Parks
Similar Species -
- Feathered Beauty Peribatodes secundaria Esper, 1794
- Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Great Oak Beauty Hypomecia roboraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
- Satin Beauty Deileptenia ribeata Clerck, 1759
Larva: Southern England-July-June : The larvae are polyphagous feeding from a very wide range of plant genera encompassing numerous plant families.The final instar larva is reddish brown with feint zig-zag white lateral lines along the body and feint series of white lines at the abdominal segments.
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon attached to the food plant or amongst plant debris.
Observations: The main defining feature differentiating the Willow Beauty P.rhomboidaria from its list of similar species is the forewing central fascia line which arcs back to the costa in a semi-circle tweaking inwards as it reaches the leading edge.
Another defining feature is the first two fascia lines start at the costa(leading edge of forewing)and are wide apart but as they meet at the dorsum (trailing edge) the lines join together. This feature does not appear in the similar species so careful study of the fascias is necessary to positively identify the Willow Beauty.
The background colour of this species is also variable in the range between light brown and blackish grey the latter often being identified where industrial areas promote darker forms as a means of camouflage.
Second generations of the Marbled Beauty tends to be smaller.
A moth that arrives at the moth trap in good numbers it is often found during the day on trees,fences or walls.
The moth is also attracted to flowers after dark.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants
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.
- Araliaceae - Ivy Family
- Hedera helix - Ivy
- Betulaceae - Birch Family
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Betula pubescens - White Birch - Downy Birch
- Cupressaceae - Cypress Family
- Cupressus macrocarpa - Monterey Cypress
- Oleceae - Olive Family
- Lingustrum vulgare - Common Privet European Privet
- Pinaceae - Pine Family
- Picea abies - Norway Spruce
- Pinus sylvestris - Scot's Pine
- Ranunculaceae - Buttercup - Crowfoot Family
- Clematis vitalba - Traveller's Joy
- Rosaceae - Rose Family
- Crataegus monogyna - Hawthorn
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum(Britain)
- Rhamnaceae - The Buckthorn Family
- Rhamnus frangula - Alder Buckthorn
- Taxaceae - Yew Family
- Taxus baccata - Yew
- Theaceae - Tea - Camellia Family
- Camelia sinensis - Tea Plant
- Camelia sinensis - Tea Plant
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - PERIBATODES: Original Species Name: Species Names: Nominotypical Subspecies: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Ennominae Boarmiini PERIBATODES Wehrl, 1943 Peribatodes rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - Geometra rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller] 1775) - GEOMETRA rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) = Peribatodes rhomboidaria rhomboidaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 = Peribatodes gemmaria Brahm, 1791 = Boarmia psoralaria Milliere 1885 = Peribatodes rhomboidaria sublutearia Zerny 1927 = Boarmia rhomboidaria defloraria Dannehl 1928 = Boarmia rhomboidaria corsicaria Schawerda 1931 = Boarmia syritaurica Wehrli 1931 = Peribatodes dragone Prenzan & de Laever 1985 - GEOMETRA rhomboidaria rhomboidaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller] 1775) - Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.101 - n.4 - Austria-Vienna region - P.r.obsoletaria Lenek, 1951-Wing markings almost missing P.r.illineata Schawerda,1927-Cross-lines missing P.r.deumbrata Lempke, 1953-Median shade can be missing P.r.fuscalineata Leraut-Cross-lines partly shaded out,blacking median on forewing continued by antemedial line on hindwing P.r.brunneata Lempke, 1953-Background dark brown P.r.perfumaria Newmann, 1865-Background purplish grey-brown, markings still visible P.r.rebeli Aigner Abafi, 1905-Background & body all black,cross-lines barely show - P.r.rhomboidaria Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 P.r.corsicaria Schawerda, 1931-Corsica P.r.vaucheri Thierry-Mieg, 1016-N Africa : Southern Spain P. r. sublutearia |