Riband Wave

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Riband Wave
Idaea aversata, sitting on a nettle leaf
Idaea aversata,
sitting on a nettle leaf
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Idaea
Species: I. aversata
Binomial name
Idaea aversata
Linnaeus, 1758

The Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is an abundant species in Europe, the Near East and North Africa, its distinctive outline familiar at lighted windows.

The species has a wingspan of 30-35 mm. The wings are buff or cream with dark fascia. Two main forms exist, equally abundant: One has darker shading between the central fascia (as in the picture), the other has not. The adults fly at night from June to August, occasionally later [1], and are attracted to light.

The larva is brown, tapering towards the front, and feeds on a variety of plants including bedstraw, chickweed, dandelion and knotgrass. The species overwinters as a small larva.

  1.  The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

[edit] External link

[edit] References

Chinery, Michael Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe 1986 (Reprinted 1991)

Skinner, Bernard Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles 1984

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