Photo © Keith Tailby
Juniper Carpet
Thera juniperata
Checklist Number70.082 [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) | 04/10/2007 | one | Paul Toynton | Adult |
VC10 Isle of Wight
| Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binstead (SZ59) | 1990 | - | B J Warne | Adult |
VC11 South Hampshire
| Site | Date | Quantity | Recorder | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester College (SU42) | 1983 | - | Anon | - |
| Winchester College (SU42) | 02/11/1983 | - | Geoff Robinson | Adult |
| Old Winchester Hill NNR (SU62) | 1984 | - | Anon | - |
| Southsea (SZ69) | 15/10/1991 | one | John R Langmaid | Adult |
| Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79) | 30/10/1994 | one | Peter I V Sewell | Adult |
| Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79) | 19/11/1994 | one | Peter I V Sewell | Adult |
| Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79) | 27/11/1994 | two | Peter I V Sewell | Adult |
| Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79) | 17/10/1995 | one | Peter I V Sewell | Adult |
| Sandy Point, Hayling (SZ79) | 1998 | - | Peter I V Sewell | Adult |
| Wickham (SU51) | 09/10/2005 | one | John Shillitoe | Adult |
| Chandlers Ford (SU42) | 21/10/2006 | one | Brian Elliott | Adult |
| Woodlands, NF (SU31) | 13/11/2022 | one | Clay Jones | Adult |
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 Edmunds | Adult |
| Stockbridge Down (SU33) | 1982 | - | Anon | - |
| Northwood (SU43) | 04/11/1982 | one | Reg A Bell | Adult |
| Grateley (SU24) | 29/05/2003 | one | Simon Colenutt | Adult |
| Kempshott (SU54) | 27/10/2005 | one | Glyn Henwood | Adult |
| Danebury Hill SSSI (SU33) | 26/09/2006 | one | David G Green | Larval |
| Stockbridge Down (SU33) | 26/09/2006 | two | David G Green | Larval |
| Kempshott (SU54) | 14/10/2006 | one | Glyn Henwood | Adult |
| Basingstoke (SU54) | 22/10/2011 | one | Glyn Henwood | Adult |
| Basingstoke (SU54) | 18/10/2013 | one | Glyn Henwood | Adult |
| Liss Forest (SU72) | 08/08/2020 | one | Richard J Moore | Adult |
