Riband Wave

Riband Wave
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.

External links

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