Species Details

ABH: 70.018

BF: 1715

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Sterrhinae

Taxon: Idaea straminata

Authority: (Borkhausen, 1794)

Vernacular: Plain Wave

Account: Local in open woodland, scrubby heathland, hedgerows, rough grassland and gardens throughout much of the British Isles Most likely to be confused with f. remutata of Riband Wave I. aversata, but in the latter species the postmedian fascia is kinked where it meets the costa, and the fascia are generally darker. Larva feeds on various herbaceous plants.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 28 — 33 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 4 Jun (1960) — 2 Sep (2025)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Polygonum sp., Taraxacum sp.

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify, an image may be required 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/idaea-straminata/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 225

Individuals: 90

Earliest Year: 1897

Latest Year: 2025

« Previous Random 🎲 Next »