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Idaea degeneraria

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Portland ribbon wave
Dorsal view
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Idaea
Species:
I. degeneraria
Binomial name
Idaea degeneraria
(Hübner, 1799)

Idaea degeneraria, the Portland ribbon wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799.[1][2]

Subspecies

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In alphabetical order:[1][3]

  • Idaea degeneraria alticolaria (Schawerda, 1933)
  • Idaea degeneraria degeneraria (Hubner, 1800)
  • Idaea degeneraria erschoffi (Christoph, 1872)

Description

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Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6

The species has a wingspan of 26–31 mm. These small pale brown geometers are darker brown-marked between antemedian and median lines.

Biology

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The larvae feed on various low herbaceous plants, mainly dandelion (Taraxacum species) and knotgrass (Polygonum species). The adults fly in one generation from June to July.[1]

Distribution

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This species can be found in most of Europe, in the Near East and in North Africa.[1][4] These moths prefer warm limestone undercliffs.[5]

Notes

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

References

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