038 Rhodometra sacraria (Vestal)

GEOMETRIDAE : Sterrhinae : Rhodometrini

70.038 Rhodometra sacraria (Vestal)

fw: 12-14mm; Apr-Nov, peak Aug-Sep; migrant; generally scarce but annual visitor to south coast, with large influxes in occasional years

Rhodometra sacraria (Vestal) §1 female

ID: Varies in forewing colour from pale yellow through brownish to crimson-red; and cross-line colour varies from pink through browns to blackish. Colours vary with the temperature experienced by the pupa, with higher temperatures producing a more yellow ground colour with a more pink cross-line. Characterised by forewing pattern, white hindwing and tectiform resting posture. Aspitates gilvaria (Straw Belle) has a similar forewing pattern but is larger (fw 15-18mm) with speckling of the forewing and a grey line and central spot on the hindwing underside.

Variation
Dissection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia

§1 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 28/09/2011; female; fw 15.7mm
§2 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 28/09/2011; male; fw 13.0mm
§3 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 29/09/2011; male
§4 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 30/09/2011; female; fw 13.6mm
§5 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 01/10/2011; male
§6 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 01/10/2011; female
§7 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 02/10/2011; male
§8 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 03/10/2011; male
§9 New Forest, Hampshire; 04/09/2013; male
§10 New Forest, Hampshire; 06/09/2013; male
All images © Chris Lewis

§11 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 09/10/2016; female; fw 13.8mm
§12 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 11/10/2018; male; fw 11.8mm
§13 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 11/10/2018; female; fw 13.0mm
§14 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 02/10/2021; male
§15 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 09/10/2022; female
§16 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 09/10/2022; male
§17 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 09/10/2022; male
§18 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 13/10/2022; male
§19 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 18/10/2022; male
§20 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 14/10/2024; male; fw 13.7mm
§21 St Marys, Isles of Scilly; 14/10/2024; male; fw 14.2mm