Juniper Carpet

Taxobox
name = Juniper Carpet

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image_width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Lepidoptera
familia = Geometridae
genus = "Thera"
species = "T. juniperata"
binomial = "Thera juniperata"
binomial_authority = Linnaeus, 1758The Juniper Carpet "(Thera juniperata)" is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout Europe and the Near East but is rather uncommon and locally distributed, mainly due to its very specific larval food plant.

The nominate race has a wingspan of 26-29 mm but smaller races occur in Ireland and Scotland. The forewings are light brown with a darker shaded band and a very distinctive black apical streak. The hindwings are pale buff. It is active at night from September to November ref|flight_season but rarely flies any great distance though it occasionally comes to light.

The larva feeds exclusively on junipers. The species overwinters as an egg.

#Note|flight_season"The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range."

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