Rannoch Looper
Macaria brunneata
This record describes Macaria brunneata (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 25 to 30 mm. A brown moth - both sexes have darker brownish crosslines on the wings, although the female is usually more strongly marked than the male. Please provide photograph to support your record. Favouring areas where the larval foodplants, Bilberry and Cowberry occur, but migrants could turn up from time to time in other habitats. It is a day-flying species, and usually rests butterfly-like, with the wings held closed. The adults appear in June and July. The caterpillars are brown with a pale spiracular stripe, and feed on Bilberry and Cowberry. Formerly restricted to the mature woodland areas of central Scotland, but there’s an occasional influx of records of migrants in southern England. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as Nationally Scarce A. No additional images available for this species.
Identification notes
aids
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Macariini
- Genus
- Macaria
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Favouring areas where the larval foodplants, Bilberry and Cowberry occur, but migrants could turn up from time to time in other habitats.
Seasonal Activity
It is a day-flying species, and usually rests butterfly-like, with the wings held closed. The adults appear in June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The caterpillars are brown with a pale spiracular stripe, and feed on Bilberry and Cowberry.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Formerly restricted to the mature woodland areas of central Scotland, but there’s an occasional influx of records of migrants in southern England. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as Nationally Scarce A.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Macaria brunneata. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rannoch Looper
What is Rannoch Looper?
Rannoch Looper (Macaria brunneata) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Rannoch Looper?
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Where is Rannoch Looper found?
Habitat: Favouring areas where the larval foodplants, Bilberry and Cowberry occur, but migrants could turn up from time to time in other habitats.
When is Rannoch Looper active?
Rannoch Looper: seasonal activity - It is a day-flying species, and usually rests butterfly-like, with the wings held closed. The adults appear in June and July..
What is the life cycle of a Rannoch Looper?
The caterpillars are brown with a pale spiracular stripe, and feed on Bilberry and Cowberry.