Species Details

ABH: 70.049

BF: 1728

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Larentiinae

Taxon: Xanthorhoe fluctuata

=Xanthorhoe fluctuata fluctuata

=Xanthorhoe fluctuata thules

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Garden Carpet

Account: Common in gardens, allotments, rough ground and woodland throughout the British Isles, but rare in north-east Scotland. Larva feeds on various Cruciferae, including Garlic Mustard, Shepherd's-purse, Hairy Bitter-cress and Cabbage, over-wintering as a pupa.

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: 27 — 31 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 25 Mar (2022) — 21 Nov (2023)

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

Foodplant: Alliaria petiolata (Garlic Mustard), Cruciferae., Diplotaxis tenuifolia (Perennial Wall-rocket).

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: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/xanthorhoe-fluctuata/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 1350

Individuals: 1994

Earliest Year: 1894

Latest Year: 2025

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