About Ematurga atomaria (Linnaeus, 1758)
Ematurga atomaria, commonly known as the common heath, is a moth species belonging to the family Geometridae. This species is distributed across the Palearctic realm. Its range extends from the Iberian Peninsula in western Palearctic, through central and eastern Europe, all the way east to Siberia and Sakhalin. In the southern part of its range, it can be found in the northern Mediterranean and the Turkish section of the Black Sea region. The wingspan of Ematurga atomaria measures 24–34 millimetres, which is 0.9–1.3 inches. Body colour of this moth is highly variable, ranging from yellow brown to dark brown. It has a mottled appearance marked with bands and spots. The brown cross bands that appear on both the forewings and hindwings vary in width, and in some individuals, cross bands are entirely absent, leaving only small dark brownish spots. Males of this species have comb-like antennae. Females are typically brown with a light dusting of white, but some individuals may be almost white with a series of brown crosslines. The egg of this species is elongated, and ranges in colour from green to yellow-red. The caterpillar is slim and smooth, growing up to 30 millimeters in length. Like the adult moth, the caterpillar's colour is very variable, ranging from brown to yellowish, and from grey to violet-grey. The caterpillar has a dark dorsal line, and light, wavy stripes along its sides. The pupa is yellow-brown with spots, and has a long cremaster that is forked at its end.
