Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
formerly Chloroclysta citrata
Identification
Adult: The description given at the USGS site ("Forewing with a black median band, a dark brown basal band, and a yellow apical patch.") apparently applies to western individuals - see photos by
Jeff Miller in the western United States, and
Jeremy Tatum on Vancouver Island.
Eastern individuals are colored differently: the median band is mostly light gray, the basal band is medium grayish-brown, and there is no yellow apical patch. Both color forms (or subspecies?) share the following characteristic: a PM line that, beginning at the costa, plunges deeply toward the outer margin, then turns basally and continues to the inner margin. A conspicuous feature of most eastern specimens is a bicolored band (blackish proximally, and reddish-brown distally) than runs diagonally across the apex.
hindwing uniformly whitish or pale gray.
Larva: body slender, pale grayish-green, smooth, with a faint thin yellowish band across each abdominal segment; a reddish lateral line may be present
Range
northern US plus every province and territory in Canada (and probably Alaska), south in the west to California, south in the east to Maryland
holarctic; occurs throughout Eurasia
Habitat
mixed and deciduous forests; adults are attracted to light
Season
adults fly from July to September
Food
larvae feed on leaves of Rubus species (raspberry, bramble, thimbleberry), Alnus (alder), Salix (willow), Western Hemlock, and perhaps Stinging Nettle
Life Cycle
overwinters as an egg; one generation per year
Remarks
When disturbed, the larva rolls its head under the thorax, a behavior described as "bashful" in the caption of the illustrative photo by Jeremy Tatum.
See Also
In the far west (BC),
Dysstroma sobria has extensive white in the median area of the forewing, and the basal area and postbasal band are cinnamon brown
see other
Dysstroma species and other members of the tribe Hydriomenini on
this pageInternet References
live images of larva, pupa, adult plus behavior and food plants (Jeremy Tatum, Butterflies and Moths of Southern Vancouver Island)
pinned adult image plus description, food plants, flight season (Jeff Miller, Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands; USGS)
common name reference [Dark Marbled Carpet] plus habitat, flight season, description, food plants, distribution (U. of Alberta)
pinned adult image (A.W. Thomas, Canadian Forest Service)
live adult image (Larry Line, Maryland)
common name reference; PDF doc [Northern Marbled Carpet] (Jason Dombroskie, Pembroke Area Field Naturalists, Ontario)
live adult image [by Philippe Mothiron. France] and food plants (Moths and Butterflies of Europe & North Africa)
live larva image (Kimmo Silvonen, Finland)
live adult images by Chris Harlow and Ian Kimber, plus food plants and other info (UK Moths)
presence in California; list (U. of California at Berkeley)
distribution in Canada list of provinces and territories (CBIF)
