Species Details

ABH: 70.254

BF: 1933

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Agriopis aurantiaria

Authority: (Hübner, [1799])

Vernacular: Scarce Umber

Account: Common despite its name, in broad-leaved woodland, scrub and gardens throughout the British Isles. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight widespread and fairly common, although no doubt under-recorded due to its late season. Wingspan male 40-44 mm, female wingless. The main confusion species is Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria, from which male Scarce Umber is perhaps most reliably separated by its rounded termen and more open apical angle, but in most cases the uniformly orange-yellow forewing of Scarce Umber distinguishes from the very much more variable Mottled Umber; female Scarce Umber has short wing stumps, absent in Mottled Umber. Larva feeds on numerous broad-leaved trees and shrubs, over-wintering as an egg.

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: male 40 — 44 mm; female wingless

Surrey Flight Period: 13 Oct (1998) — 31 Dec (2007)

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

Foodplant: 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: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/agriopis-aurantiaria/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 317

Individuals: 477

Earliest Year: 1894

Latest Year: 2025

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