Idaea mustelata is a small moth with a wingspan ranging from 12 to 16 millimeters. The forewings are mostly whitish on the upper side, although they have a well-defined dark brown region on the basal half of the costa that extends slightly into the interior of the wing. The spot extends over the cell, including the black spot on the cell, and in that area, extends further into the wing, ending in a pointed shape near the inner margin. The rest of the wing features grayish wavy lines near the margin, where small, aligned black dots appear. The hindwings have a whitish upper side except for a dark midwing dot and numerous wavy, light brown or grayish masses.
Idaea mustelata is a species exclusive to the Iberian Peninsula and the western half of the Maghreb (Morocco and western Algeria) that has recently been recorded from several regions in southern France. Widely distributed throughout Spain, it is present in regions as diverse as the Pyrenees, Cádiz, Galicia, and Almería; it is also widespread in the Community of Madrid, and is common in the Southeast Regional Park.
Idaea mustelata is a moth of the family Geometridae. In Europe it is only found on the Iberian Peninsula. It is also found in North Africa, from Morocco up to Western Algeria. It was considered a subspecies of Idaea rusticata up to 2004 when it was re-instated at species level by Axel Hausmann.
The wingspan is 12–16 mm. The moth flies from July to August depending on the location.
What is its habitat? This nocturnal moth, from the Geometridae family, can be found in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from clearings in deciduous forests, near riverine coppices, meadows, grasslands, orchards, cultivated fields, and fallow land, to uncultivated ruderal areas near buildings in towns and cities. As for its location, it also appears in areas as diverse as the high-altitude Pyrenean valleys, and at sea level in the provinces of Andalusia.
