Species Details

ABH: 70.281

BF: 1959

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Aleucis distinctata

Authority: (Herrich-Schäffer, [1839])

Vernacular: Sloe Carpet

Account: Nationally scarce (Nb) in scrub, hedgerows, farmland, damp heathland and mosses in parts of south-eastern England and southern England, a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan The most likely confusion species is Early Moth Theria primaria, which see for differences. The moth may be found after dark, resting on small blackthorn bushes at the time of flowering. Larva feeds on Blackthorn, 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: 27 — 31 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 23 Mar (1938) — 12 May (1979)

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

Foodplant: Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn).

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Least Concern (LC)

UK BAP: BAP

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify 🤔
Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/aleucis-distinctata/
Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 54

Individuals: 153

Earliest Year: 1935

Latest Year: 2007

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