| Lesser Cream Wave (Scopula immutata (Linnaeus, 1758)) |
|
|
|
Scientific name: Scopula immutata (Linnaeus, 1758) Common name: Lesser Cream Wave French name: Acidalie des pâturages, Acidalie invariable Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Geometridae Subfamily: Sterrhinae Wingspan: 24-27 mm. Biotope: Damp forests and damp meadows, marshes, river banks, pits and other damp places. Geographic area: Eurasia, missing in the more southern regions. Flight time: May-June then July-October. Number of generations : 2 Caterpillar: Long and slender with a thin dark dorsal line and yellow lateral stripes marked with tiny black spiracles. Host plant: Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Oxlip (Primula eliator), Heath Dog-violet (Viola canina), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and many other low growing plants. |
The Lesser Cream Wave has creamy coloured wings. They powdered with tiny black dots. They are crossed by rather uniform greyish brown lines. The hind wings show an angled margin and bear a well marked black discal spot. The fore wings show a smaller black discal spot. The antennae are thread-like. There is a possible confusion with several rather similar species. The Cream Wave (Scopula floslactata) has clearly less marked discal spots which are often missing on the fore wings. The apex of the fore wings is sharper than on the Lesser Cream Wave. The Sub-angled Wave (Scopula nigropunctata) shows one or two broader central cross lines with more diffuse edges. |
| [To know more about the Lesser Cream Wave] [Top] |
|
Identifying the Lesser Cream Wave species may be difficult for specimens with worn wings which may difficult to tell apart from the Cream Wave species. This not the case here. You can clearly see the black discal spots which are larger on the hind wings. |
André Bon July 2017