Editing Riband wave

{{short description|Species of moth}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Riband wave
| image = Idaea aversata.jpg
| image_caption = On a [[Urtica dioica|nettle]] leaf
| image2 = Riband wave (Idaea aversata) ab. remutata.jpg
| image2_caption =form ''remutata''
| taxon = Idaea aversata
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758)]]
}}

The '''riband wave''' ('''''Idaea aversata''''') is a [[moth]] of the family [[Geometridae]]. The species was [[Species description|first described]] by [[Carl Linnaeus]] in his 1758 [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'']].<ref>[https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id52515/ ''BioLib.cz'']</ref>

==Distribution==
It is an abundant species in Europe, the [[Near East]] and [[North Africa]] and across the [[Palearctic]]. Records are few in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula. The north border is northern [[Sweden]] and northern [[Finland]]. The northernmost parts of [[Russia]] and a few areas of Russia, northwest of the [[Caspian Sea]] are excluded. In North Africa (eastern [[Algeria]] and [[Tunisia]]), there is a smaller presence belonging to a separate subspecies (''Idaea aversata indeviata'' <small>Prout, 1935</small>). Outside Europe, the distribution area extends from northern [[Turkey]] up to the [[Caucasus]], from there via [[Central Asia]], [[Siberia]] and north-east [[China]] to [[Japan]]. The occurrence in Japan is regarded as subspecies (''Idaea aversata japonica'' <small>Inoue, 1955</small>). A small, isolated occurrence in southern Turkey is remarkable.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210630/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=444228 ''Fauna Europaea'']</ref>

==Description==
The species has a [[wingspan]] of 30–35&nbsp;mm. Its distinctive outline is familiar at lighted windows. The wings are buff or cream with dark fasciae (bands). Two main forms exist, equally abundant: one has darker shading between the central fasciae, the other (designated [[Form (zoology)|ab.]] ''remutata'') has not. The ground colour of the wings is whitish yellow to ochre. Some specimens have a red-orange colouring. The pattern elements are dark brown and clearly shown. On the forewings there are three crosslines; on the hindwings there are two crosslines. The outer cross line has a significant outward angle near the [[Glossary of entomology terms#Costa|costa]]. The area between the middle and outer cross line is dark brown. The discal flecks are small and inconspicuous, they may also be missing. Small marginal dots lie at the outer edge and can make almost a narrow marginal line.<ref name=AA>[https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/idaea-aversata/ab-remutata-5/ ''UKMoths'']</ref> See also Prout and Hausmann<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 ]   {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref>Hausmann, A, 2021  In: Axel Hausmann (Hrsg.):  ''The Geometrid Moths of Europe''. 1. Auflage. Volume 2: Sterrhinae Brill {{ISBN|978-90-04-32255-4}}</ref><ref>Patrice Leraut: Geometrid moths. In: ''Moths of Europe''. 1. Auflage. Band 2. NAP Editions, 2009, {{ISBN|978-2-913688-09-4}} in English</ref>
<ref name="gb">[[Wikisource:The Moths of the British Isles Second Series/Chapter 9#230]]</ref>
[[Image:Buckler W The larvæ of the British butterflies and moths PlateCXIX.jpg|thumb|
140px|left|2, 2a, 2b, 2c and 7,7a,7b larvae after final moult]]
The larva is moderately stout, tapering anteriorly and somewhat flattened, with a projecting and puckered lateral ridge The head small and reddish brown thickly dusted with black. The body is rugose, the skin transversely folded and dull brown. The posterior four segments are paler, tinged with ochreous. The dorsal line is whitish, indistinct, on the thorax and last four abdominals with a dark bordering, on the intermediate segments accompanied by brown V-shaped markings, There are one
or two white dorsal spots and the  subdorsal line s indistinct. The lateral line is whitish ochreous its underside dark, with a blunt pale wedge-shaped blotch on each segment, containing two brown lines, and followed by a smaller one in which is a grey V. The pupa is smooth but not glossy, rather blunt anteriorly; pale reddish brown, darker dorsally and at the segmental incisions, wings greenish, cremaster dark brown.

==Biology==
The adults fly at night from June to August, occasionally later,{{ref|flight_season}} and are attracted to light.

The [[larva]] feeds on a variety of plants including [[galium|bedstraw]], [[chickweed]], [[dandelion]] and [[Polygonum|knotgrass]].<ref name=AA/> The species overwinters as a small larva.

#{{Note|flight_season}}''The flight season refers to the [[British Isles]]. This may vary in other parts of the range.''

==Bibliography==
*[[Michael Chinery|Chinery, Michael]] ''Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe'' 1986 (Reprinted 1991)
*[[Bernard Skinner (entomologist)|Skinner, Bernard]] ''Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles'' 1984
*Sihvonen, Pasi (2006). [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28195229#page/261/mode/1up "The Sterrhinae moth fauna of Fenglin Nature Reserve, North-East China (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Geometridae)"]. ''[[Spixiana]]''. '''29''' (3): 247–257. München. {{ISSN|0341-8391}}.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Idaea aversata}}
*{{cite web |last=Savela |first=Markku |url=http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/geometroidea/geometridae/sterrhinae/idaea/#aversata |title=''Idaea aversata'' (Linnaeus, 1758) |website=Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms |accessdate=May 31, 2019}}
* [http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Idaea_Aversata ''Lepiforum e.V.'']
* Mazzei, Paolo; Morel, Daniel & Panfili, Raniero [http://www.leps.it/indexjs.htm?SpeciesPages/IdaeaAvers.htm ''Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q137324}}

[[Category:Sterrhini]]
[[Category:Moths described in 1758]]
[[Category:Moths of Africa]]
[[Category:Moths of Asia]]
[[Category:Moths of Europe]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]