Geometridae : Ennominae
Great Oak Beauty
HYPOMECIS roboraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Great Oak Beauty
HYPOMECIS roboraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: Male-42-60mm : Female-45-65mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe east to Japan
UK Distribution: Southern England-found in Hampshire,Sussex,Berkshire & Surrey. Only scattered records elsewhere
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Established Oak woodlands
Similar Species -
Pupa: Pupates below ground
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: Without doubt after seeing Willow Beauty's on a fences for some period the biggest impact of seeing this moth for the first time has to be its enormous size.
The central cross-lines converge at the dorsum sometimes joining completely to form a dark blotch,not quite seen in the specimen below.
The moth can vary between light and dark as can be the markings which sometimes provide a strong subterminal and terminal lines on the hind wing to the marking being almost absent altogether like the subspecies H.r.f.infuscata Staudinger,1871-blackish-grey background,markings weak
The moth is a nationally scarce species mainly found in the mature oak woodlands in southern England like those found in the New Forest.
The moth is found during the day on fences or tree trunks and is also attracted to the light trap.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe east to Japan
UK Distribution: Southern England-found in Hampshire,Sussex,Berkshire & Surrey. Only scattered records elsewhere
UK Conservation Status -
- Notable (Nb) = 101 - 300 10Km Squares
- Least Concern
- Geometra roboraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
- Cymatophora umbrosaria Hübner, 1813
- Austria-Vienna region
Habitat: Established Oak woodlands
Similar Species -
- Pale Oak Beauty Hypomecia punctinalis Scopoli, 1763
Pupa: Pupates below ground
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: Without doubt after seeing Willow Beauty's on a fences for some period the biggest impact of seeing this moth for the first time has to be its enormous size.
The central cross-lines converge at the dorsum sometimes joining completely to form a dark blotch,not quite seen in the specimen below.
The moth can vary between light and dark as can be the markings which sometimes provide a strong subterminal and terminal lines on the hind wing to the marking being almost absent altogether like the subspecies H.r.f.infuscata Staudinger,1871-blackish-grey background,markings weak
The moth is a nationally scarce species mainly found in the mature oak woodlands in southern England like those found in the New Forest.
The moth is found during the day on fences or tree trunks and is also attracted to the light trap.
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.
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus incana - Grey Alder
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Castanea crenata - Japanese Chestnut
- Quercus acutissima - Sawthorn Oak
- Quercus cerris - Turkey Oak
- Quercus mongolica - Mongolian Oak
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Qeurcus serrata - Korean Oak
- Pinaceae - Pine Family
- Larix kaempferi - Japanese Larch
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Pyrus pyrifolia - Sand Pear
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - HYPOMECIS: Original Species Name: Specie Name: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Forms/Aberrations: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Geometroidea Geometridae Ennominae Boarmiini HYPOMECIS Hübner 1821 Hypomecis roboraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) - Cymatophora umbrosaria Hübner, 1813 - GEOMETRA roboraria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) = Boarmia roboraria Treitschke 1825 - Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend : Title Page : p.101 - n.1 - Austria-Vienna region - H.r.f.infuscata Staudinger,1871-blackish-grey background,markings weak H.r.f.melaina Schultz,1913-blackish background H.r.f.variegata Leraut-strong dark cross-lines,inner margin postmedial & median lines join to form short blackish line H.r.f.obsoleta Leraut-wings whitish grey,faded markings |