Idaea mustelata
Encyclopedia
Idaea mustelata is a moth
of the Geometridae family. In Europe it is only found on the Iberian Peninsula
. It is also found in North Africa, from Morocco
up to Western Algeria
. It was considered a subspecies of Idaea rusticata
up to 2004 when it was re-instated at species level by Axel Hausmann.
The wingspan
is 12–16 mm. The moth flies from July to August depending on the location.
The larval food plants are unknown
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Geometridae family. In Europe it is only found on the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. It is also found in North Africa, from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
up to Western Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. It was considered a subspecies of Idaea rusticata
Idaea rusticata
The Least Carpet or or is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in Europe.The species has a wingspan of 19–21 mm. The length of the forewings is 9–11 mm. The adults fly at night from July to August , and are attracted to light.#The flight season refers to the British Isles...
up to 2004 when it was re-instated at species level by Axel Hausmann.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 12–16 mm. The moth flies from July to August depending on the location.
The larval food plants are unknown