Biston (moth)

Biston is a genus of large, long-winged moths belonging to the family Geometridae.

It is most notable for containing the well-known peppered moth.

The genus was first described by William Elford Leach in 1815.

The species of Biston are widely distributed in Holarctic, Oriental, and Ethiopian regions.

In 1895, British etymologist George Hampson described characteristics of the genus as follows: The genus currently contains 54 species and 40 subspecies.

Antennae of Biston species. 1 bipectinate, with long rami (male of Biston melacron ) 2 bipectinate, with short rami (male of Biston thibetaria ) 3 filiform (female of Biston betularia ). Scale bar = 1 mm