Scotopteryx mucronata, the lead belle, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in most of Europe, Turkey, Ukraine, West Siberia.
Lead belle | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Geometridae |
Genus: | Scotopteryx |
Species: | S. mucronata
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Binomial name | |
Scotopteryx mucronata | |
Synonyms | |
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The wingspan is 30–38 mm. The ground colour of the forewing is grey to brownish grey in colour. There is a distinctive brown median band and bounded by darker cross lines. The centre (discal) spot is usually drop-shaped. However, the pattern is variable. The rear wing is greyish, very similar to Scotopteryx luridata. See Townsend et al.[2]
Adults are on wing from May to June in one generation per year.[3]
The larvae feed on Ulex and Cytisus species. The species overwinters in the larval stage.
References
edit- ^ Fauna Europaea
- ^ Martin C. Townsend, Jon Clifton and Brian Goodey (2010). British and Irish Moths: An Illustrated Guide to Selected Difficult Species. (covering the use of genitalia characters and other features) Butterfly Conservation.
- ^ UKmoths
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Scotopteryx mucronata.