Clouded Border

Clouded Border
Clouded Border
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Genus: Lomaspilis
Species: L. marginata
Binomial name
Lomaspilis marginata
Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
  • Abraxas marginata Alphéraky, 1897
  • Lomaspilis marginata amurensis Beljaev & Vasilenko, 2002

The Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is distributed across most of Europe and the Near East.

This is a very distinctive species with white wings marked with black blotches around the margins. The amount of black varies, with the males usually (though not always) having more extensive black areas than the females. Occasionally almost entirely white or black individuals are seen, although this is rare. The wingspan is 24-28 mm. It flies at night in June and July [1] and is attracted to light.

The larva, pale green with darker lines, usually feeds on aspen and sallow but has also been recorded on birch, hazel and poplar. The species overwinters as a pupa, sometimes remaining in this form for up to four years.

Subspecies

  • Lomaspilis marginata amurensis (Hedemann, 1881)
  • Lomaspilis marginata marginata (Linnaeus, 1758)


  1. ^ 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
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