Macromoths of Northwest Forests and Woodlands

Nemoria darwiniata [Geometridae]

Wingspan 2.9 cm. Wings are green with narrow, curved, white basal and median lines. This geometrid is common and widely distributed in western North America. Moths fly in midsummer. Caterpillars are generalist feeders on the foliage of flowering trees and shrubs, such as manzanita (Arctostaphylos), bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus), and oak (Quercus).

Similar species: Nemoria pulcherrima forewing is a mottled green with red-pink margins, caterpillars feed on foliage of oak (Quercus) in the Pacific West; Chlorosea banksaria is larger, forewing with a single white median line; Dichorda illustraria (Geometridae) forewing with straight white median and basal lines, caterpillars feed on sumac (Rhus) in the Pacific West; Synchlora aerata (Geometridae) is smaller, forewing with a jagged white median line, caterpillars feed on foliage of herbs and shrubs.

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