lesser maple spanworm moth

(Macaria pustularia)

lesser maple spanworm moth
Photo by Luciearl
  Hodges #

6273

 
 
Conservation Status
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Lesser maple spanworm moth is a white, small to medium-sized, typical geometer moth. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains and in adjacent Canadian provinces. It is common in eastern Minnesota. It is found in deciduous and mixed woodlands and adjacent shrublands and thickets. Larvae feed on the leaves of mostly maple, especially red maple, but also on birch, cherry, poplar, fir, hemlock, and tamarack. Adults are active from June to August.

Adults are white, have a slender body, and have broad wings with a wingspan of 1116 to 1 (18 to 28 mm). The sense organs attached to the mouth (palpi) are long and beak-like. They extend forward beyond the eyes. On the male, the antennae are feather-like, with branches on both sides of most segments. On the female they are thread-like, with no branches. The forewings have broken, orangish-brown, antemedial (AM), median, postmedial (PM), and subterminal (ST) lines. Each line widens into a spot at the leading (costal) margin. The PM line is the most complete and continues onto the hindwing. On some individuals only the spots on the costal margin are visible.

The caterpillar is about ¾ long and green with white or yellowish lines.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Wingspan: 1116 to 1 (18 to 28 mm)

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Deciduous and mixed woodlands and adjacent shrublands and thickets.

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

One generation per year: June to August

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Adults are active at night and will come to lights. The wings are held flat when at rest.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

 

 
     
 

Larva Hosts

 
 

Leaves of mostly maple, especially red maple, but also birch, cherry, poplar fir, hemlock, and tamarack.

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82.

 
  10/18/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)  
 

Superfamily

Geometroidea (geometrid and swallowtail moths)  
 

Family

Geometridae (geometer moths)  
 

Subfamily

Ennominae (typical geometers)  
 

Tribe

Macariini (angle moths and allies)  
 

Genus

Macaria  
       
 

This species was first classified as Itame pustularia then Macaria pustularia. In 2008 it was moved to the genus Speranza, then moved back to the genus Macaria in 2015.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Itame pustularia

Speranza pustularia

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

lesser maple spanworm (caterpillar)

lesser maple spanworm moth (adult)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Costal margin

The leading edge of the forewing of insects.

 

Palp

Short for pedipalp. A segmented, finger-like process of an arthropod; one is attached to each maxilla and two are attached to the labium. They function as sense organs in spiders and insects, and as weapons in scorpions. Plural: palpi or palps.

 
 
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Babette Kis

 
 

Macaria pustularia (lesser maple spanworm moth)

Macaria pustularia (lesser maple spanworm moth), at the hedgerow at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., Wisconsin. Photo taken on July 6, 2020.

  lesser maple spanworm moth  
 

Luciearl

 
 

Butterfly/moth on basil leaf. About 1/2" in size.

 
    lesser maple spanworm moth   lesser maple spanworm moth  
           
 
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  Babette Kis
7/6/2020

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Macaria pustularia (lesser maple spanworm moth), at the hedgerow at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., Wisconsin. Photo taken on July 6, 2020.

lesser maple spanworm moth

 
  Luciearl
7/12/2020

Location: Cass County

lesser maple spanworm moth  
           
 
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Created: 9/28/2020

Last Updated:

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