Species Epirrita autumnata - Autumnal Moth - Hodges#7433

7433

Green Velvet Looper (larva)

Epirrita autumnata

wingspan 25-36 mm

larva to 25 mm

Adult: forewing pale gray or whitish, crossed by two darker bands of connected semicircles or scalloped loops (bands sometimes pale, showing little contrast against ground color); terminal line a series of dark DOUBLE dots -- a distinctive feature; lacks dull yellowish scaling along costa; hindwing paler, "washed out", lines less distinct, but terminal line usually visible as a series of dark double dots

Larva: head solid green; body green with two narrow dark green middorsal lines, light yellow subdorsal stripe, creamy white subspiracular stripe, several light green spots on back of each abdominal segment, and a thin light green band separating each segment

coast to coast in southern Canada and northern United States, south in the west to California

also occurs throughout Eurasia

coniferous and mixed woods; treed flood plains containing alder and willow

adults typically fly in September and October

larvae present from May to July

larvae feed on a variety of conifers as well as alder, willow, birch, and poplar

overwinters as an egg; larvae feed from May to July; pupation occurs in June and July; one generation per year

Bruce Spanworm (Operophtera bruceata) forewing ground color is usually darker and more brown than gray; terminal line is a series of dark SINGLE dots (not double dots as in the Autumnal Moth); often has dull yellowish scaling along costa (lacking in Autumnal Moth).

Venusia cambrica flies in summer, not fall

Moth Photographers Group (MPG)

Barcode of Life (BOLD)

live adult image plus common name reference [Autumnal Moth] (Moths & Butterflies of Europe and North Africa)

live adult image by Roy Leverton, and live larva image by Jeroen Voogd, plus food plants and flight season (UK Moths)

live adult image (John Himmelman, Connecticut)

pinned adult image by Jeff Miller, plus distribution, food plants, similar species (Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands; USGS)

live larva images plus description, common name reference [Green Velvet Looper; larva], food plants, and biology (Canadian Forest Service)