False crocus geometer

Xanthotype urticaria

''Xanthotype urticaria'', the false crocus geometer, is a North American moth in the family Geometridae.
Xanthotype urticaria Xanthotype urticaria larva found on Rubus setosus in a restored fen (peatland). Xanthotype sospeta larvae are reported to feed on Raspberry (Rubus strigosus) a relative of R. setosus and which also grows in this fen but both species are generalist feeders on woody shrubs. May have actually been feeding on nearby Tamarack (Larix laricina). Length is about 31 mm. False crocus geometer,Geometridae,Geotagged,Lepidoptera,Rubus,Spring,United States,Xanthotype,Xanthotype sospeta,Xanthotype urticaria,fen,inchworm,insect,moth

Appearance

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.

Naming

Similar species in the false crocus geometer's range include the crocus geometer and the rufous geometer .

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.

References:

Some text fragments are auto parsed from Wikipedia.

Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyGeometridae
GenusXanthotype
SpeciesX. urticaria