Pretty good pictures for a relatively small moth.

This is a pretty easy one as green is not a common color in moths. It's an Emerald or Inchworm Moth (Geometrinae). Probably a Synchlora aerata ssp, or maybe Nemoria rubrifrontaria ssp depending on where you are in the country. Their larva feed mostly on berries (bayberry, huckleberry, raspberry, loganberry, elderberry, etc) and between the species and subspecies they are pretty widespread in the US. I think they have at least two broods, so are a very common visitor when you are out blacklighting for moths late spring to fall.

Larry

Last year, I had one exactly like yours, flying during the daytime hours. It's favorite nectaring shrub? The blue mistflower.

{{gwi:491727}}

Not as good a photo, but it was moving around a lot.

Susan

I'm in Colorado. Looking at Butterflies and Moths, Synchlora aerata doesn't appear to be in my area, though other sites had it recorded for more places. Nemoria rubrifrontaria doesn't seem to fit, given the abdominal marks and pink wing fringe.
-Jmcat

Yep, that's the problem you run into when you ask for an ID without listing where the lep was seen. All someone who has no idea where you are can do is make a best guess based on description/picture. My mistake for leaning towards midwest to eastern just because most of the active folks on this forum seem to be on that side of the stone. I should have required better information and will from now on before I get involved.

FWIW - the USGS site, like many others, is very incomplete and not the last word on NA species ranges or life histories. It can be misleading for those who only rely on a minimum number of sources, as each are only as good as the author who assembled them.

Now you know your visitor is from one of the several genus within the Emerald group of Geometrinae, enough info for you to start figuring out which one it is from your area.

Enjoy.

Larry, what kind of lighting are you using to attract the nigttime visitors? I am interested in seeing the moths that are in my area although I know that here in central CA about one half to one hour east of the real coast the number is likely to be very limited. But I do know that last year I had underwing moths and some Cerisy's Sphinx moths on my willows and saw several adults on occasion.

Murray,

This is going to stray off the thread, but here goes...

Moths are attracted by many different light spectrums - why a few even come to no more than a low wattage incadescent bulb on porches and patios. But the best lighting for the greatest number of species is black lights and mecury vapor. Between the two they cover a wide range of spectrums and will attract from much reater distances. The black light does have a somewhat limited range as they are low wattage, but the mecury vapor will pull them in from very far away. How far depends on the wattage of the bulb, but for MV 300 is about the minimum and 600 is better. The unit that runs it has to be rated for the wattage of bulb to be used. Note these bulbs get white hot and need a cool down period after being turned off before touching them (burn and breakage). They also can do permanent eye damage, so avoid looking directly at the bulb even from far away.

Simple and inexpensive black lights made for Lepidoptera can be purchased from Bio Quip Products right there in CA (they have a web site). Their most versatile model works with either 12VDC or 120VAC, and is only a few dollars more than the 12VDC only model. These will pull in a surprising number of species, as well as those from several other orders of invertabrates (ie beetles, hoppers, mantis, etc), bats and the species that prey on them. Bio Quip probably also offer MV set ups now, but these are much more expensive units as are the higher wattage bulbs for them. So I made my own MV set ups that can run up to 1500 watt bulbs (which can pull them in from at least a mile away). Salvaged components from business signs and parking lot light towers saved me a lot of money since I built and usually run 3-4 setups at a time (that may be scattered several miles apart when out in the wilds). Out there I power them with portable generators, or if only using a couple of BL's right off the vehicle 12V battery or accessory plug. At home or in campgrounds just run them off 120VAC from a waterproof outside recepticle.

With light(s) in hand, its a simple matter to set up a large bright white bed sheet (on a line between two handy trees/uprights or a frame made from shock corded tent poles), mount/hang the light(s) on a camera tripod right in front of it, and "call" to your hearts content. It's also a good idea to put a sheet on the ground centered under the verticle sheet as some species land short on the ground. Other species may land many feet or yards short too, but they can usually be heard beating their wings and located with a flash light. Check the backside too as many species will prefer the more subdued light there than on the bright side of the sheet. You want a sheet that repels rather than absorbes light. Ladies, are those called Percale sheets? Pay attention to the direction the sheet faces when you set it up. You want it visable on both sides from the largest open areas that are being used as fly ways (not tight up to a wall, tall plants, etc), and with the light side towards the most open horizon.

Note that different families of moths fly at differnt times of the night for specific period lengths, with different species flying from just before dusk to just after dawn. Some species do fly all night, but not very many of them and most only fly for an hour of two. When you learn the individual species flight charcteristics, you can almost set your watch by when they start coming in and when they stop flying. So to get the largest species sampling for a place a setup needs to run all night and be checked at regular intervals to see what new species have come in. I'm a night owl, so usually stay up all night seeking moths and then chase butterflies all day (I'll have plenty of time to sleep when I'm dead). Normal folks just set an alarm and do a quick check every couple of hours (or rely on bait traps, which are also very effective for certain species).

BTW, I used to live in Carmel-By-The-Sea right on the beach and yet still got very large samplings there. The larval food plants available in the general area of your set up determines which species and how many of them, so being close to the coast is not a negative thing.

Try it. Can be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a balmy evening with like minded friends or family shooting the bull and enjoying the night sky while waiting for new arrivals. If you like moths, you will get hooked on it.

That's it in a nutshell (although I'll admit a large one). LOL

Larry

I love all the emerald moths! I saw one last night, but didn't get a picture of it. I was too busy trying to get an underwing moth to show its pretty underwings for the camera. Underwings seem to be very common around here - I got a picture of one with yellow bands on the underwings the other night, but this one had rose pink bands.
Anyway, I did get a picture of an emerald a few years ago -
{{gwi:459717}}
Sherry

I'm wondering about a female Blackberry Looper (Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria). Most of the pictures fit, it was about an inch or so, it seems to be in my area, and it did not have its antennae feathered.
-Jmcat

Wow, Larry! I do love moths and I am also a night owl because I seem to have acquired a bit of insomnia in the past couple of months. As it is I find myself checking for night visitors anyway and thought about setting something up and I am glad I asked. I hope I can get something going soon. I will let you know. I will check out that web site. I am kind of technologically-challenged but have a friend and neighbor who might be able to help.

MissSherry, you sure seem to have a great place to live for someone like us. BTW, my daughter Jessica gave me a digital camera Canon PowerShot SX 100IS. Whatever all that means and I am waiting for her to help me get it hooked up to the Internet so I can send pictures. I am so excited about it.
Murray

Murray -
Here's a link to the blacklights...

Bio Quip Blacklights