Ligdia adustata

• Subfamily: Ennominae, Abraxini
• Wingspan: 25-30 mm
• Flight period: Apr - Sep
• Spread: Common
• Host plants: Berberidaceae, Celastraceae

Information

The Ligdia adustata is also called Scorched Carpet a moth of the Geometridae family, subfamily Ennominae, with a wingspan of 25-30 mm.
This species is found in most of Europe with the exception of Norway and Portugal. * In Italy it is also present in the Islands. *

The front wings of the Ligdia adustata have a glossy white, cream white or light brown base color. The basal zone is dark brown and can sometimes be slightly blue-gray. In the post-discal region. near the margin is a blue-gray and brown wavy band.
The hind wings are whitish with light brown wavy lines on the slightly wavy outer edges. The underside of the wings is imbued with reddish brown. The posterior midline and secondary lines are conspicuously dark and wavy. The head, the thorax are brown and dark brown, the abdomen has a creamy white color. **

The Ligdia adustata has two generations per year (bivoltine species). Adults fly in April-May and later in July-August, but the flight season varies significantly, depending on the location within the distribution range.

The eggs have an oval shape initially green then brown, apparently they seem composed of a series of pentagonal and hexagonal plates.
The larvae are moderately robust, bright green in color with red dorsal spots, a red lateral spot on the 1st-2nd abdominal segment. There is also a rare gray-brown variety. they are visible from May to June and again in August and September. **

The pupa is reddish brown, the Cremaster has the terminal part divided in two.

The larvae feed on Berberidaceae such as Berberis sp. and Celastraceae are Euonymus europaeus and Euonymus verrucosa.


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** Bestimmungshilfe für die in Europa nachgewiesenen Schmetterlingsarten - http://lepiforum.de/
*** Roland Robineau, Guide de papillons nocturne de France, Delachaux et Niestlé, 2011 p.71