grass emerald
Pseudoterpna pruinata
The grass emerald is a species of moth. It occurs throughout central and south-eastern Europe and in Asia Minor and the Caucasus further east to the Urals and Siberia.
37
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_emerald
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Geometridae
Genus
Pseudoterpna
grass emerald belongs to the family Geometridae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The grass emerald is a species of moth. It occurs throughout central and south-eastern Europe and in Asia Minor and the Caucasus further east to the Urals and Siberia. It is fairly common throughout Great Britain with the exception of northern Scotland. In the southern Alps, it rises up to 1500 metres. The species was first described by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1767.
The grass emerald (Pseudoterpna pruinata) faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. Climate change is altering the distribution and phenology of its host plants, further reducing suitable habitat. The species' specialized ecological requirements and small population size make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The grass emerald (Pseudoterpna pruinata) faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range. Climate change is altering the distribution and phenology of its host plants, further reducing suitable habitat. The species' specialized ecological requirements and small population size make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.
Agricultural intensification
Climate change impacts on host plants
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Small population size and genetic bottlenecks
Urban development
Found in 37 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). grass emerald (Pseudoterpna pruinata). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/grass-emerald