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
Scientific classification
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S. mucronata
Binomial name
Scotopteryx mucronata
(Scopoli, 1763)[1]
Synonyms
  • Phalaena mucronata Scopoli, 1763
  • Ortholitha scotica Cockayne, 1940

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

  1. ^ Fauna Europaea
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ UKmoths

External links edit