70.089 Eulithis prunata (Phoenix)
fw: 17-19mm; Jul-Aug; blackcurrant, redcurrant, gooseberry (Ribies nigrum/rubrum/uva-crispa); common throughout GB
Eulithis prunata (Phoenix) §3 female
ID: There are 5 species of carpet that have forewings with a brown basal fascia edged white distally and a brown central cross-band edged white proximally and distally. E.prunata is the largest of these species though there is some overlap at fw 17mm. E.prunata, Lamproteryx suffumata (Water Carpet) (fw 14-17mm) and L.otregiata (Devon Carpet) (fw 12-14mm) all show a double-pointed projection from the distal margin of the central cross-band. L.suffumata has a shiny texture, acute indentations of the proximal margin of the central cross-band and flies Apr-May. L.otregiata shows no size overlap with E.prunata. Ecliptopera silaceata (Small Phoenix) (fw 13-17mm) lacks any significant projection from the distal margin of the central cross-band and shows a more extensive series of subterminal dentate interneural blotches. The most prominent of these interneural blotches are directly proximal to a brown terminal blotch in E.prunata and to the costal side of this blotch in E.silaceata. Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet) (fw 14-16mm) has a narrower central cross-band which is usually pinched or separated into two parts at the junction of the costal 2/3 with the dorsal 1/3.
§1 Bookham Common, Surrey; 16/07/2013; male; fw 18.0mm
§2 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 07/07/2017
§3 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 09/07/2017; female; fw 16.8mm; to light
§4 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 24/06/2023; male; fw 17.6mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 07/07/2017
§3 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 09/07/2017; female; fw 16.8mm; to light
§4 Bampton Grange, Cumbria; 24/06/2023; male; fw 17.6mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 30/11/2013 (§1) | §2&3 added 21/11/2017 | §4 added 29/09/2023
