The Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a common species of Europe, the Near East and North Africa.

The wings of this species are whiteish, heavily speckled with brown or black dots, giving it a buff or grey appearance, and marked with dark fascia. Melanic forms sometimes occur. The wingspan is 40-48 mm. Either one or two broods are produced each year and the adults are on the wing from June to September . It flies at night and is attracted to light.

The larva is reddish-brown and feeds on a variety of trees and shrubs (see list below). The species overwinters as a small larva.

1. The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

Recorded food plants

• Betula - Birch
• Camellia
• Clematis
• Crataegus - Hawthorn
• Hedera - Ivy
• Malus - Apple
• Prunus
• Taxus - Yew
• Vitis - Grape

Subspecies

• P. r. rhomboidaria
• P. r. sublutearia

References

• 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

Geometridae