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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths (Geometroidea) » Geometrid Moths (Geometridae) » Sterrhinae » Scopulini » Scopula » Simple Wave - Hodges#7164 (Scopula junctaria)

Species Scopula junctaria - Simple Wave - Hodges#7164

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Simple Wave Moth - Scopula junctaria - Scopula junctaria Scopula junctaria Small white butterfly - Scopula junctaria white pine moth - Scopula junctaria Geometridae: Scopula junctaria - Scopula junctaria Simple Wave - Scopula junctaria Moth on snowberry bush - Scopula junctaria Scopula junctaria
Show images of: 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 Sterrhinae
Tribe Scopulini
Genus Scopula
Species junctaria (Simple Wave - Hodges#7164)
Hodges Number
7164
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Scopula junctaria – (Walker, 1861)
Size
wingspan 20-26 mm
Identification
wings variable in color and shape, from white with faint lines and rounded margins, to pale yellowish with bold lines and angular margins (compare images of both forms); AM, PM, and median lines present; forewings and hindwings similar, with light speckling throughout
Range
every province and territory of Canada, plus northern United States, south to Maryland, Arizona, and California
Habitat
mixed and deciduous forests
Season
adults fly from late May to August
Food
larvae feed on chickweed, clover, elm, and other plants
Life Cycle
one generation per year
See Also
Scopula quadrilineata (Four-lined Wave) has an almost straight PM line but is otherwise very similar
(compare images of both species)
"enucleata" form of Scopula limboundata (Large Lace-border) has a double bulge in PM line near costa, lacking in junctaria
several other Scopula species are also similar (compare thumbnail images of other species)
Print References
Powell, J. A., and P. A. Opler 2009. Moths of Western North America.(1)
Covell, p. 378, plate 48 #1 (2)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - range map, photos of living and pinned adults.
BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - species account with collection map and photos of pinned adults.
pinned adult images (CBIF)
adult image showing a pinkish tint (Larry Line, Maryland)
pinned adult image (Bruce Walsh, Moths of Southeastern Arizona)
flight season; PDF doc plus food plants and life cycle (Macrolepidoptera of Mont Saint-Hilaire Region, McGill U., Quebec)
distribution in Canada list of provinces and territories (CBIF)
presence in Yukon; PDF doc and North American distribution (J.D. Lafontaine and D.M. Wood, Butterflies and Moths of the Yukon)
Works Cited
1.Moths of Western North America
Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press.
2.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Contributed by Mike Boone on 2 July, 2005 - 9:36pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Tony-2, Maury Heiman, Randy Hardy
Last updated 15 August, 2019 - 10:12am

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