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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Geometridae 91a0673 – 7083   Hemithea aestivaria (Hübner, [1799])              Common Emerald

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Adoxaceae[Caprifoliaceae] Asteraceae Betulaceae Caprifoliaceae Ericaceae Fagaceae Grossulariaceae Hypericaceae[Clusiaceae][Guttiferae] Malvaceae[Tiliaceae] Oleaceae Rhamnaceae Rosaceae Salicaceae.  Host genera: Artemisia Betula Castanea Corylus Crataegus Hypericum Ligustrum Malus Prunus Quercus Rhamnus Ribes Rosa Rubus Salix Tilia Vaccinium Viburnum.  Notes: polyphagous on a wide variety of broad-leaved deciduous trees & shrubs (Powell & Opler 2009).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: aestivaria (Hübner, [1799]) (Geometra) - MONA 1983: 7083 alboundulata (Hedemann, 1879) (Nemoria) herbacea (Fourcroy, 1785) (Phalaena) strigata (Müller, 1764) (Phalaena) viridescentaria (Motschulsky, [1861]) (Geometrina)

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. Ferguson, D. C., 1985. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 18.1: p. 121; no plate. order or free PDF Fourcroy, A.F., 1785. Entomologia Parisiensis, 2: 282. Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 31.24m; p. 221. 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 BugGuide.Net Species Page at iNaturalist

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