Species Patalene olyzonaria - Juniper-twig Geometer - Hodges#6974

6974

Juniper Twig Geometer

one of 3 species in this genus in North America listed at All-Leps

wingspan 21-25 mm, based on citation by Charles Covell (1) and photo by Jim Vargo at MPG

larva to 30 mm

Adult: color variably orangish, pinkish, or reddish-brown. Forewing hooked at tip, moreso in female than in male. Postmedial line prominent and sharp, hooking back near costa. Discal dot on forewing situated closer to AM line than PM line, sometimes almost touching AM line. Some specimens have two large dark spots in lower subterminal area of forewing (see illustration in Covell, plate 54 #10. (1)) and some others have a large dark blotch in lower subterminal area of both wings (see photos at CBIF). Hindwing outer margin smoothly rounded, and PM line straight.

[compare similar species in See Also section below]

Larva: body brownish or grayish with dark angular lines dorsally and laterally, creating a diamond-shaped pattern; whitish patches below angular lines in subdorsal area; pair of black dorsal warts on ninth abdominal segment; head brown and gray with dark brown herringbone pattern on lobes

Quebec and New Hampshire to Florida, west to Texas, north to Wisconsin

Presumably successional pine/juniper woodlants, forest edges, with hostplants

adults fly from April to November (1)

mature larvae present from June to October in New England

Larvae feed on juniper (Juniperus spp.), occasionally Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis), and possibly pine.

Two to three generations per year. Egg probably overwinters.

Confused Eusarca (Eusarca confusaria) forewing discal dot situated about half-way between AM and PM lines, not close to AM line (compare images of both species at CBIF), the short upper section of its PM line (near costa) is missing or faint, and overall color is usually pale tan or light brown

Curve-toothed Geometer (Eutrapela clemataria) hindwing outer margin is scalloped or wavy, not rounded

Large Maple Spanworm (Prochoerodes lineola) outer margins of wings angular (not rounded) with shallow point near middle, and short upper section of forewing PM line curves outward, not inward

(compare images of all four species at CBIF)

Rose Hooktip (Oreta rosea) brown form has wavy or irregular PM line on hindwing, not straight as in Juniper Geometer (see photo at CBIF)

species of Oxydia have black patches in upper (not lower) subterminal area of hindwing (see photos by Bob Belmont at MPG)

species of Synaxis and Tetracis have a completely straight PM line on forewing, not hooked near costa

Covell, p. 372, plate 54 #10 (1)

14 live adult images plus dates and common name reference [Juniper Twig Geometer] (Bob Patterson, Maryland)

Forest Pests live larva image plus common name reference [Juniper Geometer], description, foodplants, biology, seasonality (C.T. Maier et al, USDA Forest Service, forestpests.org)

Georgia Leps 3 pinned adult images showing variability (James Adams, Dalton State College, Georgia)

pinned adult images of 3 specimens showing variability (CBIF)

pinned adult image and photos of related species by Jim Vargo (Moth Photographers Group)

5 pinned adult images and collection site map (All-Leps)

Dallas Butterflies pinned adult image (Dale Clark, Texas)

North Carolina State University Entomology--lists just one species in the genus for that state.

Maryland Moths adult images (Larry Line, Maryland)

distribution in Canada Quebec only (CBIF)