Moth Photographers Group – Alsophila pometaria

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Geometridae

91a1128 – 6258 Alsophila pometaria (Harris, 1841)

Fall Cankerworm

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© Carol Davis	© John Lee

Distribution Data for Alsophila pometaria

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Larva and Host Plants:	Host familiy: Asteraceae Betulaceae Cannabaceae[Ulmaceae] Ericaceae Fagaceae Juglandaceae Fabaceae Malvaceae[Tiliaceae] Nyssaceae[Cornaceae] Oleaceae Rosaceae Salicaceae Sapindaceae[Aceraceae] Ulmaceae. Host genera: Acer Amelanchier Betula Caragana Carya Castanea Celtis Crataegus Cydonia Fagus Fraxinus Juglans Malus Nyssa Ostrya Populus Prunus Pyrus Quercus Robinia Salix Solidago Sorbus Tilia Ulmus Vaccinium. Notes: wide vriety of trees & members of rose family (Beadle & Leckie 2012); polyphagous on trees and shrubs (Forbes 1948); broad generalist on shrubs & trees (Wagner 2005). (Shropshire & Douglas 2025)
Similar Species:	Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy:	pometaria (Harris, 1841) (Anisopteryx) - MONA 1983: 6258 autumnata (Packard, 1876) (Anisopteryx) restituens (Walker, 1860) (Anisopteryx)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced.
Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 31.8m, .9m, .10f; p. 220. Book Review and ordering
Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online)
Species Page at Block Island Moths
Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum
Species Page at Mass Moths
Species Page at iNaturalist
Walker, F., 1860. in D'Urban, W.S.M., A systematic list of Lepidoptera collected in the vicinity of Montreal. The Canadian Naturalist and Geologist, 5(4): 263.