Scotopteryx mucronata, the lead belle, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in most of Europe, Turkey, Ukraine, West Siberia.

Lead belle
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Scotopteryx
Species:	S. mucronata
Binomial name
Scotopteryx mucronata (Scopoli, 1763)[1]
Synonyms
Phalaena mucronata Scopoli, 1763 Ortholitha scotica Cockayne, 1940

The wingspan is 30–38 mm. The ground colour of the forewing is grey to brownish grey in colour. There is a distinctive brown median band and bounded by darker cross lines. The centre (discal) spot is usually drop-shaped. However, the pattern is variable. The rear wing is greyish. Very similar to Scotopteryx luridata . See Townsend et al.[2]

Adults are on wing from May to June in one generation per year.[3]

The larvae feed on Ulex and Cytisus species. The species overwinters in the larval stage.

References

External links

• Lepiforum.de

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