''Xanthotype urticaria'', the false crocus geometer, is a
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
n
moth
Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...
in the family
Geometridae
The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek ''geo'' γεω (derivative form of or "the earth"), and ''met ...
.
Description
The wings are bright yellow with many brownish spots and blotches. Males have more of these spots than females. The wingspan measures 3–4 cm.
[Charles V. Covell, Jr. (2005). ''Moths of Eastern North America''. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA. ]
Similar species
Similar species in the false crocus geometer's range include the crocus geometer (''
Xanthotype sospeta'') and the rufous geometer (''
Xanthotype rufaria'').
The crocus geometer is larger, is pale yellow, and has little or no brown spotting.
[
The rufous geometer is a deeper yellow and has a reddish fringe.][
]
Flight
This moth is on the wing from May to November.[
]
Host plants
Here is a list of host plants used by the false crocus geometer:
* Red osier dogwood, ''Cornus sericea
''Cornus sericea'', the red osier or red-osier dogwood, is a species of flowering plant in the family (biology), family Cornaceae, native to much of North America. It has sometimes been considered a synonym of the Asian species ''Cornus alba''. ...
''
* Ground-ivy, ''Glechoma hederacea
''Glechoma hederacea'' is an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is commonly known as ground-ivy, gill-over-the-ground, creeping charlie, alehoof, tunhoof, catsfoot, field balm, and run-away-robin. It is als ...
''
* Catnip, ''Nepeta
''Nepeta'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The genus name is reportedly in reference to Nepete, an ancient Etruscan city. '' sp.
* Rhodora, '' Rhododendron canadense''
* Goldenrods, '''' sp.[
]
References
Moths of North America
Angeronini
Moths described in 1918
{{Ennominae-stub