Species Thera juniperata - Juniper Carpet - Hodges#7217

7217

Autumn Juniper Moth

Evergreen Spanworm Moth

Adult: forewing light brownish-gray with slightly darker median band composed of several adjoining patches that resemble smooth stones; dark diagonal apical dash touches -- or nearly touches -- the largest of the "stones"; hindwing pale gray, unmarked except for dark-dotted terminal line; at rest often holds wings vertically over its back like a butterfly, at which time the underside of the wings show a speckled grayish surface with dark discal dot and dark curved PM line

Larva: body chalky or bluish-green doraslly with yellowish subdorsal stripes; spiracular stripe red above and white below; legs pinkish; head deep green, held under thorax

[adapted from description by David Wagner and Valerie Giles]

across southern Canada (but apparently missing from Manitoba) and northern United States

BugGuide has photos from Newfoundland and British Columbia, two provinces that are missing from the distributional list at CBIF

a late season species; adults in October-November; larvae in August-October

larvae feed on juniper (Juniperus spp.)

Holarctic, may have been introduced

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

live larva image plus description, foodplant, seasonality (David Wagner and Valerie Giles, Caterpillars of Eastern Forests, USGS)