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c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca wrote:
> Hi Jeannie,
>
>
> The greenish moth is the family Geometridae, the caterpillars of which
> are called "inchworms" (hence the name of the family which "measure"
> the earth, inch by inch). This one is Nemoria rubrifrontaria Pack., a
> very interesting species whose larvae feed on sweet gale (Myrica gale)
> and look exactly like a withered sweet gale leaf! If you still happen
> to have this moth (or see it again) I have a colleague at Harvard who
> is studying this species and would appreciate receiving the specimen.
> Put it in a plastic bag in your freezer.
>
Hi Chris & All, July 2, 2007
A minor correction: the larva resemble Sweet Fern not Sweet Gale.
The leaf of Sweet Gale is leathery, nearly entire in basal 3/4 and
may curl a bit but does not wither. On the other hand, the leaf of Sweet
Fern (Comptonia peregrina) is relatively thin, deeply and pinnately
lobed and becomes light brown, flattened laterally and slightly curled,
much like the larva of N. rubrifrontaria.
I reared Nemoria rubrifrontaria Pack. (#A523) from a larva found
Aug 20, 2000. My notes include "Looked like a dried narrow Sweet Fern
leaf."
Ferguson (1953) says, "The remarkable larva... is scarcely
distinguishable from a brown, withered sweet fern leaf."
Yt, DW, Kentville
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