Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
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Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths (Geometroidea)
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Geometrid Moths (Geometridae)
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Ennominae
Subfamily Ennominae
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caterpillars
·
adults
·
both
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia (Animals)
Phylum
Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum
Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class
Insecta (Insects)
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)
Family
Geometridae (Geometrid Moths)
Subfamily
Ennominae
Explanation of Names
From they type genus
Ennomos
, Greek meaning "lawful, just."
(
1
)
Numbers
Contains about half of the world's known species of Geometridae. 751 N. American species.
Identification
The lack of an M2 vein in the hindwing is the distinguishing characteristic of the subfamily (Matthew Barnes,
Moths of the Grenadines
)
Remarks
Many are gray, but colors vary.
Some images may be hard to place below the subfamily level, without dissection or DNA testing:
Cabera erythemaria
-- vs. --
Gueneria similaria
Tracheops bolteri
-- vs. --
Carphoides setigera
Print References
(
2
)
Works Cited
1.
An accentuated list of the British Lepidoptera, with hints on the derivation of the names.
Anonymous. 1858. The Entomological Societies of Oxford and Cambridge.
2.
Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Contributed by
Robin McLeod
on 5 April, 2005 - 5:53pm
Additional contributions by
Beatriz Moisset
,
Randy Hardy
,
Robert H. Biagi
Last updated 27 February, 2024 - 3:00pm