# Waved Umber

*Menophra abruptaria*

To perfect its camouflage, the Waved Umber rests with its wings spread flat, aligning the dark, wavy bands on its wings to match the natural grain of the tree bark.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Geometridae › Menophra
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous woodlands, suburban gardens, parks, and hedgerows.
- **Diet:** Caterpillars feed on woody plants like privet, lilac, and ash; adults drink nectar from night-blooming flowers.
- **Range:** Europe, North Africa, Middle East
- **Size:** Wingspan of 36-42 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (mostly spent as larva and pupa; adults live 2-3 weeks)
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation, light pollution disrupting mating behaviors, and domestic pesticide use in gardens.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless and safe to observe. This moth is delicate and non-venomous. If one enters your home, gently trap it under a glass with a piece of paper and release it outside near trees or bushes at night.

## About

Menophra abruptaria , the waved umber , is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found in south-western North Africa, southern Europe and Anatolia, in the north, it is found from England to Switzerland and south-western Germany.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/cfe19942-49c0-4589-abd4-04e605336ee3
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/125221
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menophra abruptaria
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/2495253/medium.jpg (Drepanostoma, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.