Photo © Keith Tailby

Juniper Carpet

Thera juniperata

Checklist Number
70.082 [B&F: 1771]

Verification
Record will be accepted (subject to date and location checks)

Classification

Family:Geometridae
Subfamily:Larentiinae
Genus:Thera
Species:juniperata
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common on chalk downland and in gardens, in much of southern England, North Wales and Cumbria, less commonly on moorland in upland areas of Scotland. Since the 1960s increasingly reported on cultivated juniper species in gardens throughout much of England and Wales. In Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight very local on downland, but despite occasional records elsewhere, there is no real evidence that the species is taking to cultivated junipers in gardens, as it is in some other parts of the country. Wingspan 26-29 mm. The main confusion species is Cypress Carpet T. cupressata, but Juniper Carpet lacks the series of darks streaks near the apex of the forewing. Larva feeds on Juniper, especially Prostrate Juniper in upland areas, over-wintering as an egg.

The abundance in each month is indicated as follows:

No records
Very occasional
Irregular
Uncommon
Off-peak, but not unusual
Off-peak, but not unusual
Main flight time
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Adult
Larval

Records by week (adult)

Records by week (larval)

VC8 Wiltshire (Hants county)

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Damerham (SU11)04/10/2007onePaul ToyntonAdult

VC10 Isle of Wight

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Binstead (SZ59)1990-B J WarneAdult

VC11 South Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Winchester College (SU42)1983-Anon-
Winchester College (SU42)02/11/1983-G RobinsonAdult
Old Winchester Hill NNR (SU62)1984-Anon-
Southsea (SZ69)15/10/1991oneJ R LangmaidAdult
Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79)30/10/1994onePeter I V SewellAdult
Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79)19/11/1994onePeter I V SewellAdult
Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79)27/11/1994twoPeter I V SewellAdult
Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79)17/10/1995onePeter I V SewellAdult
Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79)1998-Peter I V SewellAdult
Wickham (SU51)09/10/2005oneJohn ShillitoeAdult
Chandlers Ford (SU42)21/10/2006oneBrian ElliottAdult
Woodlands, NF (SU31)13/11/2022oneClay JonesAdult

VC12 North Hampshire

Site Date Quantity Recorder Stage
Leckford Estate (SU33)1979-Anon-
Leckford (SU33)1980-D H Sterling-
Cholderton (SU24)10/09/1980-Henry EdmundsAdult
Stockbridge Down (SU33)1982-Anon-
Northwood (SU43)04/11/1982oneReg A BellAdult
Grateley (SU24)29/05/2003oneSimon ColenuttAdult
Kempshott (SU54)27/10/2005oneGlyn HenwoodAdult
Stockbridge Down (SU33)26/09/2006twoDavid G GreenLarval
Danebury Hill SSSI (SU33)26/09/2006oneDavid G GreenLarval
Kempshott (SU54)14/10/2006oneGlyn HenwoodAdult
Basingstoke (SU54)22/10/2011oneGlyn HenwoodAdult
Basingstoke (SU54)18/10/2013oneGlyn HenwoodAdult
Liss Forest (SU72)08/08/2020oneRichard J MooreAdult