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Species Macaria simplex - Hodges#6281

Speranza simplex - Hodges #6281 - Macaria simplex - male

Speranza simplex? - Macaria simplex - male

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 Ennominae

Tribe Macariini

Genus Macaria

Species simplex (Macaria simplex - Hodges#6281)

Hodges Number

6281

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Macaria simplex (Dyar, 1907)

Speranza simplex(Dyar, 1907)

Pygmaena simplex Dyar, 1907

Numbers

There are over 50 Macaria species in America north of Mexico. (1)

Size

Forewing length(1)

♂ 12-15 mm.

♀ 9 mm

Identification

The original description as Pygmaena simplex Dyar, is available online at the link in the print references below.

Forewing is plain gray-brown with evenly rounded outer margin.

There is usually a thin dark postmedial line but it can be faint or missing.

Forewing and hindwing have discal spot.

Range

Wyoming to Alberta and British Columbia.(1)

Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.

Habitat

Found at elevations of 5,000 to 10,300'.(1)

Season

Adults fly from mid-July through August.(1)

Food

Larval host is unknown but adults are often found near willows. (1)

Print References

Dyar, H.G. 1907. New American Lepidoptera. Journal of the New York Entomological Society. 15: 232.

Ferguson, D.C., 2008. The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 17.2. p. 130; pl. 3.10-11.(1)

Sihvonen, P. & P. Skou, 2015. Ennominae I. In: A. Hausmann (ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe, 5.Cite: 1531215

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group(2)

BOLD: The Barcode of Life Data(3)

E. H. Strickland Entomological Museum (University of Alberta )

Works Cited

1.	The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 17.2, Geometroidea, Geometridae, Ennominae. Douglas C. Ferguson . 2008. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation.

2.	North American Moth Photographers Group

3.	BOLD: The Barcode of Life Data Systems

Contributed by Maury J. Heiman on 20 January, 2012 - 12:01am
Additional contributions by Robert Lord Zimlich
Last updated 16 June, 2018 - 9:53am

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