About Colostygia multistrigaria (Haworth, 1809)
Colostygia multistrigaria, commonly called the mottled grey, is a species of moth belonging to the family Geometridae. It is distributed across western and south-western Europe as well as North Africa. Its preferred habitats are damp woodlands, heaths, and mosses. This moth has a wingspan of 26–31 millimetres (1.0–1.2 in). Its base wing colour is grey, mottled with brown. The forewings feature a faint darker central band. The basal patch, central band, and the shading before the whitish submarginal line may sometimes also be darker. The hindwings are pale whitish grey. Fully developed caterpillars are ochreous grey, with three brownish lines running along the back, and two additional lines on each side: the upper line is yellowish and wavy, edged with dusky along its top margin. The larva is uniformly cylindrical, brown-grey, with a greenish tinge on the dorsal side, and is rather paler on the ventral side. A blackish dorsal line is present, at least on the last few body segments. The spiracles are very small and blackish. The pupa is dark reddish, with darker black colouring along the dorsal side and at the anal end. Adults produce one generation per year, and are active in flight from March to April. The larvae feed on plants of the Galium genus, and can be found from March to June. This species overwinters in the pupal stage. Around dusk, adult moths can be observed on the lower sections of fences, tree trunks, and rocks, as well as resting on grass and other types of vegetation.
