The riband wave ( Idaea aversata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.[ BioLib.cz]
Distribution
It is an abundant species in Europe, the
Near East and
North Africa and across the
Palearctic. Records are few in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula. The north border is northern
Sweden and northern
Finland. The northernmost parts of
Russia and a few areas of Russia, northwest of the
Caspian Sea are excluded. In North Africa (eastern
Algeria and
Tunisia), there is a smaller presence belonging to a separate subspecies (
Idaea aversata indeviata Prout, 1935). Outside Europe, the distribution area extends from northern
Turkey up to the
Caucasus, from there via
Central Asia,
Siberia and north-east
China to
Japan. The occurrence in Japan is regarded as subspecies (
Idaea aversata japonica Inoue, 1955). A small, isolated occurrence in southern Turkey is remarkable.
[ Fauna Europaea]
Description
The species has a
wingspan of 30–35 mm. Its distinctive outline is familiar at lighted windows. The wings are buff or cream with dark fasciae (bands). Two main forms exist, equally abundant: one has darker shading between the central fasciae, the other (designated ab.
remutata) has not. The ground colour of the wings is whitish yellow to ochre. Some specimens have a red-orange colouring. The pattern elements are dark brown and clearly shown. On the forewings there are three crosslines; on the hindwings there are two crosslines. The outer cross line has a significant outward angle near the costa. The area between the middle and outer cross line is dark brown. The discal flecks are small and inconspicuous, they may also be missing. Small marginal dots lie at the outer edge and can make almost a narrow marginal line.
[ UKMoths] See also Prout and Hausmann
[Prout, L. B. (1912–16). Geometridae. In A. Seitz (ed.) The Macrolepidoptera of the World. The Palaearctic Geometridae, 4. 479 pp. Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart. pdf ][Hausmann, A, 2021 In: Axel Hausmann (Hrsg.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe. 1. Auflage. Volume 2: Sterrhinae Brill ][Patrice Leraut: Geometrid moths. In: Moths of Europe. 1. Auflage. Band 2. NAP Editions, 2009, in English]
[[Image:Buckler W The larvæ of the British butterflies and moths PlateCXIX.jpg|thumb|
140px|left|2, 2a, 2b, 2c and 7,7a,7b larvae after final moult]]
The larva is moderately stout, tapering anteriorly and somewhat flattened, with a projecting and puckered lateral ridge The head small and reddish brown thickly dusted with black. The body is rugose, the skin transversely folded and dull brown. The posterior four segments are paler, tinged with ochreous. The dorsal line is whitish, indistinct, on the thorax and last four abdominals with a dark bordering, on the intermediate segments accompanied by brown V-shaped markings, There are one
or two white dorsal spots and the subdorsal line s indistinct. The lateral line is whitish ochreous its underside dark, with a blunt pale wedge-shaped blotch on each segment, containing two brown lines, and followed by a smaller one in which is a grey V. The pupa is smooth but not glossy, rather blunt anteriorly; pale reddish brown, darker dorsally and at the segmental incisions, wings greenish, cremaster dark brown.
Biology
The adults fly at night from June to August, occasionally later, and are attracted to light.
The larva feeds on a variety of plants including galium, chickweed, dandelion and Polygonum.[ The species overwinters as a small larva.
]
-
The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.
Bibliography
External links
