Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Fringed emerald

This green moth showed up on my wall this afternoon.


Beautifully fringed and pleated wings; click to see them full size.

It's the Common Emerald moth, Hemithea aestivaria. Its larva is an inchworm; a caterpillar that alternately folds up, then stretches out to grab the next foothold, "measuring" its path. This one will be a green caterpillar with black markings, about an inch long.

It is originally from Europe, but has come to this area. BugGuide says,
"First North American report in 1979, centered in Vancouver, B.C. and expected to spread outwards from there."
It's probably the same as the one my granddaughter is saving in a jar for me.



Front view.

They usually hold their antennae this way, turned back under the wing; the part that shows sort of looks machine-made, like bicycle handlebars.

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1 comment:

  1. What a lovely shade of green. I don't think I've seen that on our emeralds out here.

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