Riband Wave       Tawny Wave
70.018 BF1715  –  Geometridae –  Sterrhinae – Idaea straminata – Plain Wave – (Borkhausen, 1794) Adult Macro:  CAT 2 – Can be confused with other species – Can be confused with other species       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines
Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Macro   >>  Geometridae  >> Sterrhinae
ID Difficulty:  amber  – care required in the identification process, as confusion with similar species is likely – quality photographs required.
ID pointers: Very similar to the un-banded form of Riband Wave (remutata). Slightly smaller with smooth silky grey-brown coloured wings and fainter cross-lines. The third cross-line is missing the kink of Riband Wave.
Distribution:  (First record: 1951 )  –  (Last record: 22 July 2025 at Longdendale )  –  A species that seems to be very scarce and locally distributed in Derbyshire, mainly in the central NW. It maybe overlooked amongst Riband Wave Idea remutata. Usually only single specimens trapped most years. Added to the county list in 1951.
Flight Period: June /  July /  August /  –  On the wing – June – August.One generation Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Simon Roddis, Dave Evans, Christian Heintzen  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 23 July 2025 by TD ***
Forewing: 13-15mm Food Plant: Dandelion, Knotgrass.
Last Recorded Year: 2025
First Recorded Year: 1951
Last Recorded By – Christian Heintzen
Last Recorded General Area – Longdendale
IMAGES BELOW:  Darley Dale – Image by Simon Roddis ©  / Belper – 29th June 2018 – Dave Evans © / Torside Clough, Longdendale (2025) Christian Heintzen©

70.018 BF1715 - Plain Wave - Geometridae - Idaea straminata
Plain Wave – Idaea straminata
70.018 BF1715 - Plain Wave - Geometridae - Idaea straminata
Plain Wave – Idaea straminata – Dave Evans
Plain Wave - 22nd July 2025 Torside Clough, Longdendale - Christian Heintzen
Plain Wave – 22nd July 2025 Torside Clough, Longdendale – Christian Heintzen
70.018 BF1715 - Plain Wave - Geometridae - Idaea straminata
70.018 BF1715 - Plain Wave - Geometridae - Idaea straminata
Plain Wave - 22nd July 2025 Torside Clough, Longdendale - Christian Heintzen

Plain Wave - 22nd July 2025 Torside Clough, Longdendale - Christian Heintzen Plain Wave - 22nd July 2025 Torside Clough, Longdendale - Christian Heintzen
Plain-Wave-Dave-Evans-o_1i8hqhh7v1vjct2bhmd1b5e780b Plain Wave - 29th June 2018 - Belper - Dave Evans©
1715-plain-wavedscn6819 Plain Wave - Darley Dame - Simon Roddis©

Distribution Map for Idaea straminata

Found 48 records
    ↳ 1 from After 2025
    ↳ 15 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 32 from Before 2020

If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.

******* Choose ONLY one at a time, of either Monad, Tetrad or Hectad Distribution - each has it's own set of data. Also, the distribution maps cover ALL recorded data. *******

Bedrock Geology ** indirectly affects moth distribution by influencing the type of habitat and food plants available in an area. In turn, this may affect the types of moths that can thrive, or where they can most likely be found.

Land-cover * shows the variety of land-cover within the VC57 area, based on the CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) forty-four thematic classes of land-cover. This will show, to a greater or lesser degree, the number and variety of moths found in different land-cover types. The UK continues to operate within the Copernicus programme, with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) providing Corine Land Cover (CLC) datasets for the UK and its territories.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Idaea straminata

⚠️ Please wait for the map to load fully – do not click the link shown.


Note – the NBN Atlas datasets are listed in the map below and vary in their currency (uptodateness) – however, the map does give a general indication of the moth's distribution across the UK.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Idaea straminata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Idaea straminata
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Idaea straminata
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

Click the colour discs below to Select/De-select as Required

Recordings By Year: Idaea straminata
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Idaea straminata
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%


CUSUM Analysis: Idaea straminata
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 11 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.

Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 7 (July) to provide a full-year equivalent.

ⓘ Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year) Trough (worst year) Growth periods Decline periods
Population peaked around 2007, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2021, showing a significant decline.

What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Idaea straminata
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Idaea straminata
( data includes Adult Stage only )

Flight Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's flight periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen in flight, from site observation records received between 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Idaea straminata – 48 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

TaxonSite NameTetradYearDateCountStageSource
Idaea straminataLongdendale, Torside Clough, Crags at mSK09T202522/07/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataNinelands RoadSK28F202307/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202307/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataMarkham Vale South TipSK47K202312/07/20232adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataLongdendale, Wildboar CloughSK09U202307/07/20232adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataLongdendale, Long Gutter Edge OaksSK09U202328/06/20239adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersageSK28F202328/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataStaveley DerbyshireSK47H202214/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataNinelands RoadSK28F202229/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataGarden, WaltonSK36U202213/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataGarden, WaltonSK36U202219/07/20223adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataGarden, WaltonSK36U202230/07/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataNinelands RoadSK28F202131/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataNinelands RoadSK28F202118/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202109/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F202126/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F201925/07/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F201915/07/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataHathersage, Derbyshire, UKSK28F201907/07/20191adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201925/07/20191Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataPleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X201806/08/20181Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataWelbeck Drive, WingerworthSK36T201827/07/20181Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataBelperSK34U201829/06/20181adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataBirch ValeSK08I201830/06/20181adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataBirch Barn, New Mills Rd, Birch ValeSK08I201516/08/20151Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminatabiggib dale bigginSK15P201431/07/20141adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminatabiggin daleSK15P201401/07/20141adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataCross Green Cottages,Flint Lane,South DarleySK26Q201326/08/20131Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataThe Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R201215/07/20121Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataElgar Drive,Sawley,Long EatonSK43R201107/07/20111Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataThe Hollies,Station Rd,Darley DaleSK26R201031/07/20101Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataCalke Park Ticknall Lime YardsSK32R200722/07/20073adultvc57_irecords_extract
Idaea straminataTicknall Limeyards,TicknallSK32R200722/07/20073Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataChase Cliffe Lodge, Crich, AmbergateSK35L200322/07/20031Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataSchool Close,Parkway Gardens,Darley DaleSK26R200104/08/20011Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataWoodlands, Combs, Chapel en le FrithSK07P199211/07/19921Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataWoodlands, Combs, Chapel en le FrithSK07P199113/07/19911Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataDeerlands Rd, Ashgate, ChesterfieldSK37K199002/08/19901Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataDeerlands Rd, Ashgate, ChesterfieldSK37K199002/08/19901Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataSkinner St, Creswell, WorksopSK57H198804/08/19881Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataSkinner St, Creswell, WorksopSK57H198305/07/19831Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataBarnard Ave, Coal AstonSK37U198101/01/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataBarnard Ave, Coal AstonSK37U198101/01/19811Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataChurch St,Holloway,MatlockSK35I197910/07/19792Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataWhitwell Wood, Whitwell, Worksop (site not precise)SK57J197709/07/19771Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataJohn St, Clay Cross (garden site assumed)SK36W196218/08/19622Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataJohn St, Clay Cross (garden site assumed)SK36W196013/07/19601Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Idaea straminataFroggatt Edge, Calver (site not precise)SK27N195118/08/19511Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Riband Wave       Tawny Wave

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