Colostygia olivata

Colostygia olivata, the beech-green carpet, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775 and it is found in most of the Palearctic.

Beech-green carpet
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Geometridae
Genus:
Colostygia
Species:
C. olivata
Binomial name
Colostygia olivata
Synonyms
  • Geometra olivata Denis & Schiffermuller, 1775
  • Cidaria gigantea Pinker, 1953

The wingspan is 22–27 millimetres (0.87–1.06 in). Freshly hatched moths have green forewings. There is a darker, brown central band narrower towards the centre of the forewings. This band is edged with a white wavy line. The hindwings are smoky grey with a pale crossline. The larva is stout, slightly tapering at each end, rugose, with conspicuous tubercles and setae. It is reddish-ochreous or brownish ochreous with an interrupted grey dorsal line. The lateral and ventral surfaces are mostly dull reddish; tubercles black. The pupa is rather stout, bright red or red-brown, the abdomen darker.[1]

6,6a larvae after final moult 6c enlarged segment, 6d pupa

Adults are in wing from May to August in one generation.

The larvae feed on Galium species. Larvae can be found from September to May.

Subspecies
  • Colostygia olivata olivata
  • Colostygia olivata gigantea Pinker, 1953

References
  1. 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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