COMMON METARRANTHIS

COMMON METARRANTHIS

Metarranthis hypochraria
GEOMETRID MOTH FAMILY (Geometridae)

The Common Metarranthis has a wingspan of 1.25 to 1.75 inches (3.2-4.3 cm). The forewing is pointed and both hindwings and forewings have scalloped edges. The ground color is tan to brown shaded to dark brown inside the sharply bent postmedian line on both forewings and hindwings. The caterpillar is cylindrical and colored variously tan, gray, brown or reddish with a hump over abdominal segment 8. It grows to 1.5 inches (3.5 cm).

 

The frequency of occurrence is not known. The moth was photographed at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in early June 2014 during the Bioblitz. Adults come to artificial lights.

 

The larvae feed on the leaves of various trees and shrubs including apple, blueberry, chokecherry, persimmon and sassafras. There is one generation per year with mature caterpillars occurring in late summer.

 

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