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Speranza pustularia
Medium sized Geometrid with white wings and very pale yellow markings (noticed when I looked at the pictures enlarged). It is more common for this species of moth to have darker orangish-yellow markings but some are quite pale like my example.
Rural yard.
Attracted to the outside lights. I initially thought this moth was pure white, but I was mistaken! Thanks to J I have an ID for this little moth!
The Four-lined Wave and the Simple Wave - Scopula junctaria (http://bugguide.net/node/view/22846), are my top guesses. When I enlarge the picture more, the pale lines seem more wiggly to me (more like the Simple Wave). The Vestal moth's markings aren't correct and the Besma Straw's wings are not quite the right shape.
I am thinking about submitting this to bugguide or somewhere for ID. Drat!
Look at the following:
Vestal Moth
Cabera variolaria
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.ed...
Besma Straw
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.ed...
and what I think to be the best candidate, Scopula quadrilineata – Four-lined Wave Moth
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.ed...
see the pinned specimen at the bottom of the page
Nina, I appreciate your suggestions. The wing shape is not correct for the Elm Spanworm and I did consider Snowy Geometer, but this moth has markings, whereas the Snowy Geometer is pure white. I will try to post another picture with a close-up of the wings.
Shapewise, I also think that another match is Eugonobapta nivosaria – Snowy Geometer Moth
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.ed...
Spotted on Aug 11, 2012
Submitted on Aug 21, 2012
+1
