Hodges # 6740 & #6743

Caterpillar foods: many trees, shrubs, and forbs  (Bugguide)

There are five different species in this genus in the U.S., and they are not distinguishable from photographs.  The two in our area are X. urticaria and X.  sospeta.   Apparently there’s no genetic difference between these two species, but there are differences in genitalia and in phenology.

6/3/2010 at lights

8/15/2010 at lights

6/17/2007 – during the day

6/17/2006 – during the day

8/5/2010

8/22/2012

8/2/2012

7/31/2017 I found a Geometrid caterpillar feeding on Canada Goldenrod.  I reared it and it turned out to be one of these species.  Handfield lists food plants for both species, but only lists Solidago for X. urticaria.  I don’t know if that’s definitive enough to identify this as X. urticaria.

7/31/2017  eating

7/31/3017  eating

8/3/2017  leaf shelter with pupating caterpillar

8/3/2017  leaf shelter

8/18/2017  adult emerged

8/18/2017  spent pupa with remains of leaf shelter