Engrailed (moth)
| Ectropis crepuscularia Engrailed Small Engrailed | |
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| Photo courtesy of Entomart.be | |
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| Species: | E. crepuscularia
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| Binomial name | |
| Ectropis crepuscularia (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
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Ectropis bistortata Goeze, 1781 | |
The Engrailed and Small Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia) are moths of the family Geometridae. It is found from the British Isles through Central and Eastern Europe to the Russian Far East and Kazakhstan. The Western Mediterranean and Asia minor and the Caucasus represents the southern limit of the distribution (with the Balkan countries). In the North the distribution area ends at the Arctic circle. It also occurs in North America. There is a debate as to whether they make up one species, or whether E. crepuscularia actually refers only to the Small Engrailed, with the Engrailed proper being separable as E. bistortata.
The ground colour of the wings is buff or grey variably marked with darker fascia and a pale postdiscal crossline. The darker markings are not usually as strong as in the rather similar Willow Beauty. Melanic forms occur fairly frequently. The wingspan is 38–45 mm. One or two broods are produced each year. In the British Isles the adults can be seen at any time between March and August; this time range may vary in other parts of this moth's range. The species flies at night and is attracted to light.
The greyish caterpillar is truly polyphagous, feeding on a huge range of plants (see list below). The species overwinters as a pupa.
Engrailed/Small Engrailed
There is debate as to whether the Small Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia) and Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) are the same species, despite DNA profiling confirming they are conspecific.[1][2]
Recorded food plants
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (March 2011) |
- Acer, Maple
- Aconitum, Monkshood
- Alnus, Alder
- Aquilegia, Columbine
- Betula, Birch
- Calluna vulgaris, Heather
- Camellia japonica, Japanese Camellia
- Castanea, Chestnut
- Centaurea
- Cirsium arvense, Creeping Thistle
- Cornus, Dogwood
- Daphniphyllum
- Diervilla, Bush Honeysuckle
- Frangula, Alder Buckthorn
- Fraxinus, Ash
- Genista, Broom
- Glycine, Soybean
- Hypericum maculatum, Imperforate St. John's Wort
- Ilex, Holly
- Juglans, Walnut
- Larix, Larch
- Lindera, Spice Bush
- Lonicera, Honeysuckle
- Lythrum salicaria, Purple loosestrife
- Malus, Apple
- Philadelphus, Mock-orange
- Picea, Spruce
- Pieris
- Pinus, Pine
- Plectranthus
- Populus, Poplar
- Pseudotsuga, Douglas-fir[3]
- Quercus, Oak
- Ribes rubrum, Redcurrant
- Rosa, Rose
- Rubus idaeus, Raspberry[4]
- Rumex, Dock
- Salix, Willow
- Sambucus, Elder
- Shepherdia canadensis, Canada Buffaloberry
- Sorbus spp., rowans
- Spartina, Cordgrass
- Thuja
- Trifolium, Clover
- Tsuga, Hemlock
- Ulmus, Elm
- Vaccinium
- Zanthoxylum
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
Line notes
External links
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