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Idaea minuscularia, or the Small Dusty Wave moth, is a small, nondescript geometer moth common in coastal Mediterranean areas (SW Europe, NW Africa, Azores) and sometimes Britain, characterized by variable white to grey wings with faint dark lines, often found near lights on buildings in maquis shrubland; its larvae are generalist feeders on low-growing herbs, including ivy and Oxalis, overwintering as caterpillars, with adults typically flying in summer, often having two generations.
Key Facts:
Identification: A small moth (wingspan 12-21 mm) with white to grey wings, often with indistinct dark markings, though sometimes quite plain.
Habitat: Found in coastal Mediterranean environments (maquis, villages, cultivated areas) and occasionally woodlands/gardens in Britain.
Behavior: Adults are nocturnal and attracted to lights, often seen on walls.
Larval Diet: Feeds polyphagously on ground-level plants like ivy (Hedera helix) and Oxalis.
Generations: Produces one or two broods per year, flying from June to September in warmer areas.
Range: SW Europe, NW Africa, and the Azores; common in the UK (except far north).
