Willow Beauty
Peribatodes rhomboidaria
This record describes Peribatodes rhomboidaria (species). Recorded family: Geometridae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 30-38 mm. Typical forms are brownish with darker streaks and markings, but there is also a greyish form, perfumaria , as well as an almost black melanic variant. Quite similar to Mottled Beauty. Guidance on separating these two species can be found by following this LINK Woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks and gardens. The moths fly in July and August, sometimes again in September in the south. The larval foodplants are a number of deciduous trees including Hawthorn and Ivy. Commonly distributed throughout Britain to southern Scotland but more local further north. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
Wikipedia reference for Peribatodes rhomboidaria: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peribatodes rhomboidaria.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Geometroidea
- Family
- Geometridae (Geometer Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ennominae
- Tribe
- Boarmiini
- Genus
- Peribatodes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks and gardens.
Seasonal Activity
The moths fly in July and August, sometimes again in September in the south.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larval foodplants are a number of deciduous trees including Hawthorn and Ivy.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Commonly distributed throughout Britain to southern Scotland but more local further north. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Peribatodes rhomboidaria. 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.
Photos of Willow Beauty (7)
Frequently Asked Questions About Willow Beauty
What is Willow Beauty?
Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) is a species in the family Geometridae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Willow Beauty found?
Habitat: Woodland, scrub, hedgerows, parks and gardens.
When is Willow Beauty active?
Willow Beauty: seasonal activity - The moths fly in July and August, sometimes again in September in the south..
What is the life cycle of a Willow Beauty?
The larval foodplants are a number of deciduous trees including Hawthorn and Ivy.