Geometridae

70.006 Dwarf Cream Wave Idaea fuscovenosa (Goeze, 1781)

Local S, C

Similar species: Silky Wave Idaea dilutaria has either very small central black dots in the fore and hind wings or they are absent. The outer edge of the wings at the base of the fringe lacks the black dashes. The leading edge has many fewer dark dots and dashes. For this reason the base of the leading edge and the end of the cross-lines are hardly darkened. Dotted-border Wave Idaea sylvestraria has dots rather than dashes at the outer edge of the wings. The former resident Isle of Wight Wave Idaea humiliata has a reddish leading edge to the forewing and lacks the dark dashes along the outer edge of the wings.

Forewing: 9 to 11mm

Habitats: Calcareous slopes especially on the coast, sand-dunes, sandy coastal grassland, woodland rides and margins, scrubby grassland, tall vegetation on the margins of marshland and occasionally gardens.

Habits: The moth is sometimes disturbed from low scrub in the day. It flies from dusk and later comes to light.

Foodplant: The early stages have not been recorded in the wild. In captivity the withered and fresh leaves of Knotgrass, bramble and Dandelion.