Species Details

ABH: 70.272

BF: 1949

Family: Geometridae

Subfamily: Ennominae

Taxon: Paradarisa consonaria

    =Paradarisa consonaria ab. waiensis

    =Paradarisa consonaria f. nigra

Authority: (Hübner, [1799])

Vernacular: Square Spot

Account: Local in broad-leaved woodland, scrub, parks and gardens throughout England, the main population centres being from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to Kent, the Wye Valley and southern Cumbria. In our area, the main population centres are the central New Forest, Wickham Common / Botley Wood, and on the Isle of Wight, in the Cranmore / Ningwood Common area. Possibly declining in the north-east and around Chandlers Ford, where previously common. Wingspan 40-45 mm. The characteristic square-shaped blotch mid-way along the subterminal fascia is visible in most individuals, but obscured in some dark forms, which occur infrequently and which often have a pale central cross-band. Larva feeds on the foliage of Sessile and Pedunculate Oak, Silver and Downy Birch, Beech, Hornbeam and Yew; mid-June to mid-August, 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: 40 — 45 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 13 Apr (1985) — 30 Jun (1967)

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:

Moths

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Moths

Verification Grade: 2 — Care needed to identify 🤔

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/paradarisa-consonaria/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 136

Individuals: 53

Earliest Year: 1906

Latest Year: 2017