- Riband Wave
Taxobox
name = Riband Wave
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Idaea aversata",
sitting on anettle leaf
regnum =Animal ia
phylum =Arthropod a
classis =Insect a
ordo =Lepidoptera
familia =Geometridae
subfamilia =Sterrhinae
genus = "Idaea"
species = "I. aversata"
binomial = "Idaea aversata"
binomial_authority = Linnaeus,1758 The Riband Wave "(Idaea aversata)" is amoth of the familyGeometridae . It is an abundant species inEurope , theNear East and NorthAfrica , its distinctive outline familiar at lighted windows.The species has a
wingspan of 30-35 mm. The wings are buff or cream with darkfascia . 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 ref|flight_season, and are attracted to light.The
larva is brown, tapering towards the front, and feeds on a variety of plants including bedstraw,chickweed ,dandelion andknotgrass . The species overwinters as a small larva.#Note|flight_season"The flight season refers to the
British Isles . This may vary in other parts of the range."External links
* [http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/geometroidea/geometridae/sterrhinae/idaea/index.html#aversata Riband Wave at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera pages]
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
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