70.302 : 1673 : 8000
Geometridae : Geometrinae

Small Emerald

HEMISTOLA chrysoprasaria (Esper, 1794)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 28-32mm
Worldwide Distribution: North Africa : Iberian Peninsula : Most of Europe eastwards to Ural Mountains and East Asia
UK Distribution: Fairly well distributed throughout England and Wales to a line across the Wash : Local north to Cumbria : Channel Isles-Jersey,local-Guernsey-rare
UK Conservation Status -
  • Local = 101 - 300 10Km Squares
  • NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) & NERC S.42 : 2009 (Wales) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity
  • Vulnerable
  • BAP : 2007 - Priority species
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Phalaena(Geometra) chrysoprasaria Esper, 1795
Type Species - Hemistola
  • Hemistola rubrimargo Warren, 1893
Type Locality -
  • Germany - Hessen, Frankfurt a.M
Flight Period: South-mid May to September-possibly partial generation in September : Elsewhere-Late June to early August
Habitat: Downland : Gardens : Woodland : Hedgerows
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The larva of this moth, like so many of the Looper larvae, are masters of disguise in light green with yellow lateral lines , two sets of rear prolegs,short thoracic legs and two whitish forward facing horns on the thoracic abdominal segment, look every bit like a broken off twig.  Larva-diapause takes place between November and March before the young larva feeds on fresh Honeysuckle growth, adding to the larva's camouflage. Larva-August to June
Pupa: Pupates among the food plant
Overwinters as: Small larva
Observations:  The newly emerged moth is highly coloured with blue-green,rounded forewings and cross lines that are nicely curved making this species unique among the "Emerald" moths.

Although normally this moth only has a single generation, in the south its possible that there is a second generation emerging in late September especially after a hot summer.

The moth below is the only specimen I saw in 2013 proving the point that although it was attracted to the moth trap they are only ever seen in small numbers.
Subspecies
H.h.chrysoprasaria Esper, 1794- Southern & Central Europe: S.Russia : S.Urals - SE.Siberia : Turkey : Caucasus : Georgia
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 - HEMISTOLA:

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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Geometroidea
Geometridae
Geomerinae
Hemistolini
HEMISTOLA Warren 1893
Hemistola chrysoprasaria (Esper, 1794)
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Hemistola rubrimargo Warren, 1893
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= Hemistola chtysoprasaria Esper, 1795
PHALAENA (Geometra) chrysoprasaria (Esper, 1795)
= Phalaena nayas Fourcroy, 1785
= Hemistola albifusa Cockayne, 1950
= Hemistola contracta Chalmers-Hunt, 1961.
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PHALAENA (Geometra) chrysoprasaria chrysoprasaria (Esper, 1795)
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Esper, E. J. C. 1794. Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. Fünfter Theil. Europäische Gattungen. - pp. 1-276, Tab. I-LII [= 1-52]. Erlangen. (Walther).V1 : Title Page :  p.37 (2) pl.5 - f.1
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Hessen, Frankfurt a.M
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H.c.f.dentigera Prout, 1913-Postmedial line can be denticulate
H.c.f.albifus Cockayne, 1950-Hindwing suffused white
H.c.f.subobsoleta Lempke, 1967-antimedial line missing on four wings
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H.c.occidentalis Wehrli, 1929-S.Spain, S.Portugal, Morocce, Algeria, Tunisia
H.c.intermedia Djakonov,1929-South Siberia-mountains
H.c.chrysoprasaria Esper, 1794- Southern & Central Europe: S.Russia : S.Urals - SE.Siberia : Turkey : Caucasus : Georgia
H.c.lissas Prout, 1912