| Feathered thorn | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Geometridae |
| Genus: | Colotois |
| Species: | C. pennaria |
| Binomial name | |
| Colotois pennaria (Linnaeus, 1761) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The feathered thorn (Colotois pennaria) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761.
The common name derives from the very strong feathering on the antennae of the male. Also the species name pennaria derives from the Latin suffix aria – meaning "related to or connected with" – at the end of the Latin word penna meaning "feather".
The forewings of this species are basically brown but individuals vary greatly in tone from drab light brown to much richer reddish tones. They are usually marked with two dark fascia and a small discal spot but these features can be faint or almost absent. The hindwings are lighter buffish brown. The wingspan is 46–50 mm, the males being usually larger and broader-winged than the females. Prout describes the aberrations [1] [2] The females tend to be rather sluggish but the males fly actively at night and are attracted to light. The species is on the wing from September to November .
The egg is olive-green with a ring of pale specks round the micropylar end; laid in a cluster on a twig, hibernating.The caterpillar is hairless, brown or purplish grey with ochreous spots and purplish grey with ochreous spots with reddish anal points.It is twig-like and reaches a length of up to 50 mm. It can be found from May to July feeding mainly at night on a variety of trees and shrubs (see list below). The species overwinters as an egg.
This species can be found throughout Europe and the Near East to the Caucasus and east to Sakhalin, Amur, Primorye, Korea, Japan (as subspecies ussuriensis).
Found in mainly deciduous and mixed forests, and in large gardens.
The riband wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The slender pug is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1813 and is found throughout Europe and western parts of the Palearctic. The larva feeds on the catkins of willow.
The currant pug is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Henry Doubleday in 1856. It is found across the Nearctic and Palearctic regions. Its occurrence extends eastwards from Ireland, across Europe to the Near East, the Urals, the Ussuri region and on to the island of Sakhalin. In the Pyrenees and the Alps it rises to altitudes of 1500 and 1800 metres respectively.
The treble-bar or St. John's wort inchworm is a moth of the family Geometridae. the species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East.
The scalloped oak is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The common white wave is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found throughout the Palearctic region. Their habitat is deciduous forests and their surroundings.
Angerona is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae erected by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1829. Its only species, Angerona prunaria, the orange moth, was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Cepphis advenaria, the little thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found in Europe and across the Palearctic to Japan.
Ennomos alniaria, the canary-shouldered thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It can be found in Europe in a wide variety of biotopes where there are deciduous trees, perhaps mostly in deciduous forests and gardens.
Ennomos autumnaria, the large thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found in Western and Central Europe East to Russia and Siberia
Ennomos erosaria, the September thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species can be found in the Palearctic realm in western Europe and from central Scandinavia. Its range extends to the northern Mediterranean and east to the Caucasus and Russia. It is widespread in mixed and deciduous forests in Europe. The south eastern occurrence reaches Turkey and the Caucasus. The main habitat is dry deciduous forests and parks. In the Southern Alps, the species rises to an altitude of about 1600 metres.
Rhodometra sacraria, the vestal, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae.
Idaea straminata, the plain wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in Europe including West Russia and Balkans.
Aethalura punctulata, the grey birch, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species is found in Europe and then east, as far as western Siberia and the Caucasus.This species prefers sparse alder-ash-floodplain forests on moist to wet locations. Although it is only locally distributed in Central Europe, it is usually common in these biotopes. It occurs from the plains to the middle mountain regions. In the Alps it rises up to 1600 m.
Cosmorhoe is a monotypic moth genus in the family Geometridae erected by Jacob Hübner in 1825. Its only species, Cosmorhoe ocellata, the purple bar, was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Mesotype didymata, the twin-spot carpet, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Its genus is sometimes included in Perizoma.
Carsia sororiata, the Manchester treble-bar, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1813. It is found in northern and central Europe, the Urals, Siberia, the Far East, northern Mongolia and in North America from Alaska to Newfoundland and to New Hampshire.
Aspitates gilvaria, the straw belle, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is found from Europe to the eastern part of the Palearctic realm. The main habitats are warm slopes, heathlands, fields and abandoned quarries. In the mountains, the species rises to heights of 1000 meters. Adults are on wing from July to August.
Acasis viretata, the yellow-barred brindle, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1799. It is found across most of Europe and throughout the Palearctic to Korea. In northern India it is represented by Acacis viretata himalayica. It is also present in North America. This species occurs in many different habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, rocky slopes and valleys, as well as bushy meadows, bogs and taiga areas. In the Alps, it can still be found at an altitude of 1700 meters.
Coenocalpe lapidata, the slender-striped rufous, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Jacob Hübner in 1809 and is found in most of the Palearctic realm.
