Aethalura punctulata

Aethalura punctulata, the grey birch, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species is found in Europe and then east, as far as western Siberia and the Caucasus.This species prefers sparse alder-ash-floodplain forests on moist to wet locations. Although it is only locally distributed in Central Europe, it is usually common in these biotopes. It occurs from the plains to the middle mountain regions. In the Alps it rises up to 1600 m.

Aethalura punctulata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Subfamily: Ennominae
Tribe: Boarmiini
Genus: Aethalura
Species:
A. punctulata
Binomial name
Aethalura punctulata

The wingspan is 30–35 mm. The upperside forewings wings are ash to light brownish gray. Darkened and light forms occur. The banding is also variable. Three black crossbars are strong and usually reach the front edge. According to the variability of colour and bars several formæ have been described.[1] [2]

  • f. trilineata Bruckova, 1945: with three clear cross-lines
  • f. marginata Lempke, 1953: darkened clouds on the front and rear wings
  • f. albescens Prout, 1915: ground colour of the wings almost uniformly whitish
  • f. intermedia Lempke, 1953: wings dark grey, clear markings
  • f. cinerea Leraut, 2002: wing ash grey, clear markings
  • f. obscuraria Paux, 1901: wings uniform black-grey
  • f. costijuncta Lempke, 1970: a wide black band is developed at the front edge of the front wing
  • f. anastomosaria Lempke, 1970: first and second cross-country lines on the front wing are complete
Fig 5,5a,5b,5c, 5d Larvae in various stages

The larva is brownish, greenish, greenish-grey or violet-brown. The longitudinal lines and the incisions of the segments are usually yellowish or whitish, often with enlarged stains. The longitudinal lines are often interrupted or dissolved to elongated points.

The pupa is reddish-brown to dark reddish-brown. The cremaster is blunt-conical.

The moths flies from March to July depending on the location.

The caterpillars feed on birch.

References
  1. Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Keys and description
  2. Prout, L. B. (1912–16). Geometridae. In A. Seitz (ed.) The Macrolepidoptera of the World. The Palaearctic Geometridae, 4. 479 pp. Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart.pdf
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