Ematurga atomaria (Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Heath
70.2750 (B&F: 1952)
»Suborder: Glossata
»Superfamily: Geometroidea
»Family: Geometridae
»Subfamily: Ennominae
»Tribe: Boarmiini
A resident species often fairly common and occasionally common by day on heathland and downland. Well distributed in the far west and between Newhaven and Eastbourne, but colonies are scarce elsewhere. Extremely local and irregular in numbers on the chalk. This species is double-brooded flying mainly in two overlapping emergences from mid May to mid August. Adults have been seen in almost every week from early April to late September. The larval foodplants have not been reported from Sussex but heather, heath, clovers and trefoils have been listed from elsewhere. (Pratt, 2011)
