clay triple-lines vs Coastal Ragweed

Cyclophora linearia compared with Ambrosia hispida

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	clay triple-lines	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Geometridae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Cyclophora	Ambrosia
Species	Cyclophora linearia	Ambrosia hispida

Conservation Status

clay triple-lines

LC — Least Concern

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	clay triple-lines	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

clay triple-lines

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Cuba.

clay triple-lines

The Clay Triple-lines, Cyclophora linearia, is a geometrid moth in the family Geometridae found across Europe and temperate Asia, inhabiting deciduous woodland, hedgerows, and scrubby areas where its larval host plant beech (Fagus sylvatica) is present. The forewings are pale clay-buff to cream, crossed by three distinct darker brown or ochreous lines from which the common name derives, with a small darker discal spot. The hindwings are similarly patterned but slightly paler. The species is well camouflaged at rest on bark and dead wood. Adults are crepuscular and nocturnal, flying in two generations per year in much of its range, with adults on the wing in spring and again in summer. The larvae feed on the young leaves of beech trees, and the species is strongly associated with mature beech woodland throughout its range. As beech woodland becomes increasingly threatened by climate change, drought stress, and changing forest management practices across Europe, specialist beech-associated insects like the Clay Triple-lines may face habitat contractions. The species is currently widespread and not considered globally threatened, but national populations show variation in abundance tied to the health of beech forest habitats.

Coastal Ragweed

Coastal ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the coastal dunes, sandy beaches, and cays of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the wider Caribbean region. It grows in pioneer beach and dune vegetation, often forming spreading colonies that help stabilise loose coastal sands. Like other members of the genus Ambrosia, it bears inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in racemes; male flower heads produce wind-dispersed pollen that can trigger allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. The deeply lobed, hispid leaves are adapted to reflect intense solar radiation and tolerate salt spray. Coastal ragweed plays an ecological role in early dune succession, binding sand and enabling other plant species to establish. The genus is widespread globally, with several Ambrosia species considered noxious weeds in agricultural settings, though Ambrosia hispida is restricted to its native Caribbean coastal range. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, reflecting adequate population size across its Caribbean coastal distribution. Pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure poses a localised threat to dune communities it inhabits.