| Common Marbled Carpet (Dysstroma truncata (Hufnagel, 1767)) |
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Scientific name: Dysstroma truncata (Hufnagel, 1767) Common name: Common Marbled Carpet Other names: Other scientific name: Chloroclysta truncata. French name: Cidarie roussâtre Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Geometridae Subfamily: Larentiinae Wingspan: 24-30 mm. Biotope: Various habitats including deciduous and coniferous forests, shrubs, gardens, etc. Geographic area: Palearctic region, from western Europe to Japan and from northern Scandinavia to the Mediterranean regions, Near East. Flight time: Early June to early July then mid-August to early October. Number of generations : 2 (only 1 in the northern part of the range). Caterpillar: Light green with white dots and two small pointed extensions at the rear. Host plant: Many trees, shrubs and on low growing vegetation including Hawthorns (Crataegus), Willows (Salix), Birches (Betula), Brambles (Rubus), Honeysuckles (Lonicera), Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), etc. |
The Common Marbled Carpet is a very variable species. The fore wings' basal area is greyish black. The area between the antemedian and postmedian areas is whitish with a blackish grey suffusion and blackish grey lines or reddish brown or a mix of these patterns and colours. The edge of this area facing the margin draws a rounded extension towards the margin. You can see this rounded extension on the under side of the wing. The terminal area is reddish brown close to the inner edge and blackish grey along the outer edge. You can see a wavy white subterminal line. The hind wings are greyish with an arched post-discal line. There is a black discal spot on each wing but often weekly marked or even missing on the hind wings. There is a possible confusion with the Dark Marbled Carpet species (Dysstroma citrata). This last species does not show a form with a reddish brown median area. So the Common Marbled Carpet form with a reddish brown median area is easy to identify. The extension of the median area towards the margin is longer and sharper on the Dark Marbled Carpet species. This is more visible on the underside of the wings including on the under side of the hind wings. |
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This is a rather old specimen. I think that the rounded shape of the median area extension rather indicate the Common Marbled Carpet species. I have also read that Dark Marbled Carpets are more frequently observed in mountain regions in France. |
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Here is the form with the reddish brown median area. |
André Bon September 2018