Species Details

ABH: 70.051

BF: 1724

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Larentiinae

Taxon: Xanthorhoe spadicearia

Authority: ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Vernacular: Red Twin-spot Carpet

Account: Common in gardens, woodland, hedgerows, downs, fens, moors and sand-dunes throughout the British Isles. The oft quoted field mark used to distinguish this species from red forms of Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet X. ferrugata, the notch on the inner edge of the cross-band, close to the costa, has proven to be unreliable, and only moths with black cross-bands can be assigned to this species without dissection of the genitalia. Larva feeds on Bedstraw, Ground-ivy and Dock, 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: 24 — 27 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 15 Apr (2003) — 5 Sep (2003)

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

Foodplant: Galium sp., Polyphagous.

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/xanthorhoe-spadicearia/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 734

Individuals: 317

Earliest Year: 1921

Latest Year: 2024

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