72.046 Eilema complana (Scarce Footman)
fw: 15-18mm; Jun-Aug; lichens and algae; common in S&E.England, more local elsewhere in England & Wales.
Form sericea (Northern Footman) - fw: 14-17mm RDB – raised peat bogs and boggy moorland in Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire and N.Wales; endemic to Britain.
Form sericea (Northern Footman) - fw: 14-17mm RDB – raised peat bogs and boggy moorland in Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire and N.Wales; endemic to Britain.
Eilema complana (Scarce Footman) §2 female
ID: This species and E.lurideola (Common Footman) both have a dark grey forewing with a strongly contrasting yellow costal stripe and a pale straw hindwing. E.lurideola rests with forewings slightly curved over body so that the costa is more or less in the same plane as the substrate; E.complana rests with forewings tightly around body so that the costa is more or less perpendicular to the substrate. In the typical form of E.lurideola the yellow costal stripe narrows towards the forewing apex while in E.complana it remains at a constant width. In E.complana the patagia (‘collar’) are entirely orange-yellow while in E.lurideola they are at least partly grey (concolorous with the thorax). Somewhat similar to other Eilema species, all of which usually have paler grey (or yellow) forewings with a less contrasting costal stripe and grey or whitish hindwings.
In E.complana f.sericea the forewing costal stripe narrows towards the apex (as in E.lurideola) and the hindwing has a broad grey costal smear.
This form has been treated as a separate species in the past but its genitalia are identical to the typical form.
In E.complana f.sericea the forewing costal stripe narrows towards the apex (as in E.lurideola) and the hindwing has a broad grey costal smear.
This form has been treated as a separate species in the past but its genitalia are identical to the typical form.
DIssection
Male genitalia
Female genitalia
§1 Foulness, Essex; 08/07/2007
§2 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 19/08/2013; female; fw 15.7mm
§3 Cranwich Heath, Norfolk; 05/07/2018; female; fw 15.0mm
§4 Cranwich Heath, Norfolk; 05/07/2018; male; fw 14.0mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Westcliff-on-sea, Essex; 19/08/2013; female; fw 15.7mm
§3 Cranwich Heath, Norfolk; 05/07/2018; female; fw 15.0mm
§4 Cranwich Heath, Norfolk; 05/07/2018; male; fw 14.0mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 16/03/2015 (§1-2) | §3&4 added 01/05/2019
