Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Venusia cambrica Curtis, 1839
Tephrosia scitularia Walker, 1860
Venusia cambricaria Guenée, [1858]
Acidalia nebulosaria Freyer, 1850
Venusia cambrica shuotsu Bryk, 1949
Eubolia erutaria Boisduval, 1840
Phylogenetic Sequence # 910269
Size
wingspan 23-25 mm, based on two photos at CBIF
European specimens with reported wingspan of 27-30 mm
Identification
Adult: forewing white with several lines and dark brown bands crossing wing; terminal line composed of several black triangular spots at ends of veins (a distinguishing feature); median line black, irregular, but lacking prominent notch near costa; hindwing similar but lines fainter and present only on outer half
Specimens identified by DNA Analysis:
Genitalia:
Larva: body greenish, marked with purple or brown blotches
Range
across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia, south in the west to California, south in the east (Appalachians) to Georgia
also occurs throughout Eurasia
Habitat
wet coniferous forests in the west; adults rest on tree trunks during the day
Season
adults fly from June to September in New Brunswick and Quebec; March to August in California
Food
larvae feed on leaves of alder, apple, birch, mountain ash, serviceberry, willow
See Also
Brown-shaded Carpet (
Venusia comptaria) is smaller (wingspan about 20 mm), terminal line composed of linear dashes (not triangular spots), median line has prominent notch near costa, and species does not occur in the west (
compare images of both species at CBIF)
other species of Venusia also lack terminal lines composed of triangular spots
Internet References
pinned adult image by Nick Greatorex-Davies, plus species account (Ian Kimber, UK Moths)
live larva image (Kimmo Silvonen, Finland)
common name reference plus synonyms, links to images, foodplants, world distribution map (Markku Savela, FUNET)
foodplants; PDF doc plus flight season and life cycle (Macrolepidoptera of Mont Saint-Hilaire Region, McGill U., Quebec)
habitat and flight season in the west (Jeff Miller, Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands, USGS)
presence in California; list of 5 specimen records with dates and locations (U. of California at Berkeley)
presence in Georgia; list of recent records by James Adams [search on species "cambrica"] (Lepidopterists Society Season Summary, U. of Florida)
