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GEOMETRIDAE : Sterrhinae : Scopulini
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70.0281 Scopula (Calothysanis) minorata (Petite Wave)
ws: 15-20mm (Wikipedia); polyphagous; Feb-Nov
A widespread species of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Currently listed in the RES checklist as an adventive species, one having been found in 2013 in Yorkshire among imported cabbages from Spain and a second taken at light in Dodford, West Midlands on 08/06/2018.
This is the first British record of a migrant arrival.
Other scarce migrants trapped at the same site around the same time as this specimen were: 13/11/2025 – Helicoverpa armigera (Scarce Bordered Straw); 14/11/2025 – Cyclophora puppillaria (Blair's Mocha), Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Slender Burnished Brass); 15/11/2025 – Utethesia pulchella (Crimson Speckled), Leucania loreyi (Cosmopolitan).
A widespread species of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Currently listed in the RES checklist as an adventive species, one having been found in 2013 in Yorkshire among imported cabbages from Spain and a second taken at light in Dodford, West Midlands on 08/06/2018.
This is the first British record of a migrant arrival.
Other scarce migrants trapped at the same site around the same time as this specimen were: 13/11/2025 – Helicoverpa armigera (Scarce Bordered Straw); 14/11/2025 – Cyclophora puppillaria (Blair's Mocha), Thysanoplusia orichalcea (Slender Burnished Brass); 15/11/2025 – Utethesia pulchella (Crimson Speckled), Leucania loreyi (Cosmopolitan).
Scopula minorata (Petite Wave) §1 male (image provided by Will Scott)
ID: Overall colour whitish-ochreous to ochreous-brown. Crosslines variably expressed but noticeably more of them in the distal half of both wings. Forewing subbasal line often weak, straight from dorsum, then angled towards the base subcostally; median, postmedian, subterminal and terminal lines all wavy/scalloped and smudgy; small discal dot between median and subbasal lines; a row of terminal interneural dots. Hindwing similar except that the subbasal line is missing and the discal dot is immediately distal to the median line (which arches around it in some specimens). Smaller than all other Scopula species without overlap (except possibly with the smallest S.rubiginata (Tawny Wave) which is unlikely to be confused). More similar externally to some Idaea species but again unlikely to be confused with any of them.
Male genitalia: The strongly sclerotised apical process of the sacculus is abruptly narrower in its apical half. The aedeagus has a small basally-directed subapical spine. The anterior margin of the ventral plate of A8 has a rounded anterior projection; the cerata are straight, the left short and the right much longer.
Female genitalia:
Male genitalia: The strongly sclerotised apical process of the sacculus is abruptly narrower in its apical half. The aedeagus has a small basally-directed subapical spine. The anterior margin of the ventral plate of A8 has a rounded anterior projection; the cerata are straight, the left short and the right much longer.
Female genitalia:
§1 St Mary's, Isles of Scilly; 14/11/2025; male ; fw 9.0mm; to 15W actinic light; specimen trapped and provided by Mick & Will Scott;
FIRST MIGRANT RECORD FOR BRITAIN
All images © Chris Lewis
FIRST MIGRANT RECORD FOR BRITAIN
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 14/12/2025 (§1)
