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Species Mesoleuca ruficillata - White-ribboned Carpet - Hodges#7307

White-ribboned Carpet - Mesoleuca ruficillata Pennsylvania Moth - Mesoleuca ruficillata White-ribboned Carpet  - Mesoleuca ruficillata White-ribboned Carpet Moth - Mesoleuca ruficillata White-ribboned Carpet - Mesoleuca ruficillata white-ribboned carpet - Mesoleuca ruficillata White-ribboned Carpet Moth - Mesoleuca ruficillata Mesoleuca ruficillata
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 Larentiinae
Tribe Hydriomenini
Genus Mesoleuca (White-Ribboned Carpets)
Species ruficillata (White-ribboned Carpet - Hodges#7307)
Hodges Number
7307
Numbers
one of two species in this genus in North America
Size
Wingspan: 25-28 mm (1)  
Identification
White FW has mottled blue-black basal and subapical patches. PM line is finely scalloped. ST area is marked with faded blue scalloped lines. (1) 
Forewing with wide white median band contrasting with black areas at base and along costa from PM to ST lines; black discal spot on all wings. Hindwing white with gray median band and terminal border
Range
across southern Canada and northern United States, south in the east to North Carolina, south in the west to California
Season
adults fly from May to August
Food
larvae feed on birch and raspberry (Rubus spp.) (1)  
Life Cycle
two generations per year (May & June, and July & August) (1)  
See Also
in the far west, M. gratulata is similar but has a broad wavy black PM band and flies in early spring - usually February to April (compare images of both species)
Internet References
Works Cited
1.Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America
David Beadle and Seabrooke Leckie. 2012. Houghton Mifflin.