Family Geometridae Rank Species | Genus Mesoleuca Order Butterflies and moths | |
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Similar Butterflies and moths, Scopula immutata, Xanthorhoe ferrugata, Anticlea derivata, Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata | ||
Mesoleuca albicillata, the beautiful carpet, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in the Palearctic.
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Distribution
From Spain through Western and Central Europe including the British Isles through to the temperate zone in Central Asia. In the North of Europe it is found up to Central Fennoscandia, in the South to Italy to the Balkans and the Black Sea.
Description
The wingspan is 34–38 mm. The ground colour of the forewings is creamy white to bright white. The basal field is markedly black-brown in colour. There is a large black-brown on the front edge behind the middle and almost to the apex. There is a double crossline of dark grey colour and a white wavy line in the grey marginal field, Very small black discal flecks are also present.The hindwings are white, have a grey marginal field that is crossed by a faint whitish squiggle and there is a thin, dark cross line and a small black middle spot.
Biology
The moth flies from mid May to mid August [1].
The larva feeds on bramble, raspberry and strawberry.
The species inhabits prefers open forest, forest edges, wetlands, shore areas as well as gardens and parks