The Curve-toothed Geometer has a wing-span of 1.50 to 2.25 inches. The female is larger than the male. The wings are brownish-gray. On the forewing the postmedian line is mostly straight, but turns sharply back toward the costa. The short upper section of the pm line curves inward. The outer margin of the forewings and hindwings are gently scalloped. The very similar Large Maple Spanworm Moth does not have scalloping on the wings. The larva is a twig-mimicking brown to purple-brown inchworm that grows to 2 inches in length. The larva is also called the Purplish-brown Looper.
The frequency of occurrence of the Curve-toothed Geometer is not known. The individual shown here was photographed at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in early April. Adults fly from April to August and are attracted to artificial lights.
The larvae eat the leaves of many woody shrubs and trees including ash, basswood,dogwood, elderberry, elm.maple, oak. viburnum, walnut and willow. This is the only species in this genus in North America.
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