70.103 Lampropteryx suffumata (Water Carpet)
fw: 14-17mm; Apr-May; bedstraws and cleavers (Galium spp); common throughout GB
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. L.suffumata is characterised by a shiny texture, the acute indentations of the proximal margin of the central cross-band and a double-pointed projection from the distal margin of the central cross-band. L.otregiata (Devon Carpet) has a similar double-pointed projection but is smaller (fw 12-14mm); it has a more or less straight costal 1/3 of the distal margin of the central cross-band of the forewing; the proximal margin of the central cross-band is irregular but does not show the sharply-pointed indentations seen in L.suffumata. Ecliptopera silaceata (Small Phoenix) lacks any significant projection from the distal margin of the central cross-band and shows a subterminal series of dentate interneural blotches. Eulithis prunata (Phoenix) is larger (fw 17-19mm) and flies later (Jul-Aug). Electrophaes corylata (Broken-barred Carpet) 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.
Form piceata (of L.suffumata) has much of the pale marking replaced with dark brown though the general pattern is still discernible.
Form porritii has a blackish-brown median facia contrasting with a pale ground colour.
Form piceata (of L.suffumata) has much of the pale marking replaced with dark brown though the general pattern is still discernible.
Form porritii has a blackish-brown median facia contrasting with a pale ground colour.
§1 Derby Dales, Derbyshire; 03/04/2008; fw 16.7mm
§2 Derby Dales, Derbyshire; 03/04/2008; fw 16.4mm §3 Derby Dales, Derbyshire; 03/04/2008; fw 16.5mm §4 Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk; 19/04/2011; male §5 Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire; 04/05/2013; male; fw 16.2mm §6 Foulden Common, Norfolk; 11/04/2016; male; fw 16.3mm; to light §7 Struy, Inverness-shire; 01/05/2016 §8 Struy, Inverness-shire; 01/05/2016 §9 Braemar, Aberdeenshire; 08/05/2016; male; fw 16.3mm; f. piceata All images © Chris Lewis |
§10 Braemar, Aberdeenshire; 09/05/2016; intermediate form?
§11 Braemar, Aberdeenshire; 09/05/2016; male; fw 16.4mm; f.piceata §12 Cliburn Moss, Cumbria; 19/04/2021; male; fw 14.9mm §13 Dunalastair estate, Perthshire; 04/04/2022; male; fw 16.2mm §14 Cliburn Moss, Cumbria; 12/05/2022; female; fw 16.2mm |
Page published 14/04/2013 (§1-4) | §5 added 28/08/2013 | §6 added 15/02/2017 | §7-11 added 27/06/2017 | §12 added 04/06/2021 |
§13 added 02/06/2022 | §14 added 008/09/2022
§13 added 02/06/2022 | §14 added 008/09/2022