View source for Engrailed (moth)

{{Other uses|Engrailed (disambiguation){{!}}Engrailed}}
{{short description|Species of moth}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = ''Ectropis crepuscularia''
| image = Ectropis crepuscularia01.jpg
| image_caption = Photo courtesy of [http://www.entomart.be/ Entomart.be]<!-- Copyrighted image released under attribution license. Do not delete attribution/link. -->
| image2 = Ectropis crepuscularia female.jpg
| image2_caption = Female
| genus = Ectropis
| species = crepuscularia
| authority = ([[Michael Denis|Denis]] & [[Ignaz Schiffermüller|Schiffermüller]], 1775)
| synonyms = ''Ectropis bistortata'' <small>Goeze, 1781</small>
}}

The '''engrailed''' and '''small engrailed''' (''Ectropis crepuscularia'') are [[moth]]s of the family [[Geometridae]] found from the [[British Isles]] through central and eastern Europe to the [[Russian Far East]] and [[Kazakhstan]]. The western [[Mediterranean]] and  [[Asia Minor]] and the [[Caucasus]] represent the southern limit of the distribution (with the [[Balkans|Balkan countries]]). In the north, the distribution area ends at the Arctic Circle. It also occurs in North America. Debate exists as to whether they make up one [[species]], or whether ''E. crepuscularia'' actually refers only to the small engrailed, with the engrailed proper being separable as '''''E. bistortata'''''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/index.php?bf=19471|title=() - Norfolk Moths}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://irishmoths.net/pages-moth/m-1947x.html|title=Irish moths - the Engrailed / Small Engrailed}}</ref><ref>Martin C. Townsend, Jon Clifton and Brian Goodey (2010). [https://butterfly-conservation.org/uploads/Difficult_species_guide_page_42.pdf ''British and Irish Moths: An Illustrated Guide to Selected Difficult Species'']. (covering the use of genitalia characters and other features) Butterfly Conservation.</ref>
[[Image:Buckler W The larvæ of the British butterflies and moths PlateCXIII.jpg|thumb|150px|left|2,2a,2b,2c Larvae in various stages]]
The ground colour of the wings is buff or grey, variably marked with darker [[fascia]] and a pale postdiscal crossline. The darker markings are not usually as strong as in the rather similar [[willow beauty]]. [[Melanism|Melanic]] forms occur fairly frequently. The [[wingspan]] is {{convert|38–45|mm|abbr=on}}<ref>Bernd Müller, Sven Erlacher, Axel Hausmann, Hossein Rajaei, Pasi Sihvonen and Peder Skou, 2019 In: Axel Hausmann (Hrsg.):, 2019 ''The Geometrid Moths of Europe''. 1. Auflage. Volume 6  Ennominae II(Boarmiini, Gnophini, additions to previous volumes), Stenstrup 2015, 978-90-04-38748-5</ref>
.<ref>Prout, L. B. (1912–16). Geometridae. In A. Seitz (ed.) ''The Macrolepidoptera of the World''. The Palaearctic Geometridae, 4. 479 pp. Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart.[https://archive.org/details/macrolepidoptera1216seit pdf]</ref> One or two broods are produced each year. In the British Isles, the adults can be seen at any time between March and August; this time range may vary in other parts of this moth's range. The species flies at night and is attracted to light.

The greyish [[caterpillar]] is truly [[polyphagous]], feeding on a huge range of [[plant]]s. As a caterpillar, the species is known as the '''saddleback looper'''.<ref>[https://tidcf.nrcan.gc.ca/en/insects/factsheet/8578 "Saddleback looper"]. ''Trees, Insects and Diseases of Canada's Forests''. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved February 5, 2019.</ref> The species overwinters as a [[pupa]].

==Recorded food plants==
{{refimprove section|date=March 2011}}
[[File:Ectropis crepuscularia caterpillar - Keila.jpg|thumb|Caterpillar on [[Filipendula ulmaria|meadowsweet]]]]
[[File:Ectropis.crepuscularia.caterpillar.jpg|thumb|right|Caterpillar]]
* ''Acer'', [[maple]]
* ''[[Aconitum]]'', monkshood
* ''Alnus'', [[alder]]
* ''[[Aquilegia]]'', columbine
* ''Betula'', [[birch]]
* ''[[Calluna vulgaris]]'', heather
* ''[[Camellia japonica]]'', Japanese camellia
* ''Castanea'', [[chestnut]]
* ''Centaurea'', [[star thistle]]
* ''[[Cirsium arvense]]'', creeping thistle
* ''Cornus'', [[dogwood]]
* ''[[Daphniphyllum]]''
* ''[[Diervilla]]'', bush honeysuckle
* ''Frangula'', [[Buckthorn|alder buckthorn]]
* ''Fraxinus'', [[Ash tree|ash]]
* ''Genista'', [[Broom (shrub)|broom]]
* ''[[Glycine (plant)|Glycine]]'', soybean
* ''[[Hypericum maculatum]]'', imperforate St. John's wort
* ''Ilex'', [[holly]]
* ''Juglans'', [[walnut]]
* ''Larix'', [[Larch]]
* ''[[Lindera]]'', spice bush
* ''Lonicera'', [[honeysuckle]]
* ''Lythrum salicaria'', [[purple loosestrife]]
* ''[[Malus]]'', apple
* ''[[Philadelphus]]'', mock-orange
* ''Picea'', [[spruce]]
* ''[[Pieris (plant)|Pieris]]''
* ''Pinus'', [[pine]]
* ''[[Plectranthus]]''
* ''[[Populus]]'', poplar
* ''Pseudotsuga'', [[Douglas fir]]<ref>C. Michael Hogan (2008) [http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=44736 ''Douglas-fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii'', globalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Strõmberg] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604021155/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=44736 |date=June 4, 2009 }}</ref>
* ''Quercus'', [[oak]]
* ''Ribes rubrum'', [[redcurrant]]
* ''Rosa'', [[rose]]
* ''Rubus idaeus'', [[raspberry]]<ref>[http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/geometroidea/geometridae/ennominae/ectropis/index.html Hübner (1825) ''Ectropis'']</ref>
* ''[[Rumex]]'', dock
* ''Salix'', [[willow]]
* ''Sambucus'', [[Elderberry|elder]]
* ''Shepherdia canadensis'', [[Canada buffaloberry]]
* ''Sorbus'' spp., [[rowan]]s
* ''Spartina'', [[cordgrass]]
* ''[[Thuja]]''
* ''Trifolium'', [[clover]]
* ''[[Tsuga]]'', hemlock
* ''Ulmus'', [[elm]]
* ''[[Vaccinium]]''
* ''[[Zanthoxylum]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Chinery, Michael ''Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe'' 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
* Skinner, Bernard ''Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles'' 1984

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Ectropis crepuscularia}}
*[https://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=1947 Engrailed on ''UKMoths'']
*{{cite web |last=Savela |first=Markku |url=http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/geometroidea/geometridae/ennominae/ectropis/#crepuscularia |title=''Ectropis crepuscularia'' (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) |website=Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms |access-date=February 5, 2019}}
*[http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Ectropis_Crepuscularia ''Lepiforum e.V.'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q46097}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Boarmiini]]
[[Category:Moths described in 1775]]
[[Category:Moths of Asia]]
[[Category:Moths of Europe]]
[[Category:Moths of North America]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Michael Denis]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Ignaz Schiffermüller]]

{{Boarmiini-stub}}