Caterpillars of Eastern Forests
Loopers, Inchworms, and Spanworms (Family Geometridae)
Loopers, inchworms, and spanworms make up the second largest family of Lepidoptera in eastern forests. The Geometridae includes many familiar species, a number of which are important pests. As a rule, loopers are superb at matching their background—mimicking foliage, sticks, petioles, and other plant parts. Their disguise may even include plant litter affixed to the body. With but a couple of exceptions, all can be readily recognized by the possession of only a single pair of midabdominal prolegs (on the sixth segment). Being so endowed, they tend to loop rather than crawl, hence their name. Many of the twig mimics have fleshy spurs to either side (paraprocts) and or ventral to the anus (hypoproct). Crochets are usually of 2 lengths. Descriptions in this guide are based on last instars; warts and other swellings tend be less developed in earlier instars. Coloration is highly variable within species and should be used cautiously in identification. Most forest loopers are broadly polyphagous on shrubs and trees, many accept both hardwoods and softwoods.
 Horned Spanworm (Nematocampa resistaria) |
 Kent's Geometer (Selenia kentaria) |
 Oak Beauty (Nacophora quernaria) |
 Oak Besma (Besma quercivoraria) |
 Maple Spanworm (Ennomos magnaria) |
 Elm Spanworm (Ennomos subsignaria) |
 Purplish-brown Looper (Eutrapela clemataria) [Curve-toothed Geometer] |
 Cleft-headed Looper (Biston betularia) [Pepper-and-salt-Geometer] |
 Common Gray (Anavitrinella pampinaria) |
 One-spotted Variant (Hypagyrtis unipunctata) |
 Fervid Plagodis (Plagodis fervidaria) |
 Variable Antepione (Antepione thisoaria) |
 Saddleback Looper (Ectropis crepuscularia) [Small Engrailed] |
 Common Metarranthis (Metarranthis hypochraria) |
 American Barred Umber (Anagoga occiduaria) |
 White Slant-line (Tetracis cachexiata) |
 Northern Pine Looper (Caripeta piniata) |
 Linden Looper (Erannis tiliaria) |
 Small Phigalia (Phigalia strigataria) |
 Half-wing (Phigalia titea) |
 Pale Metanema (Metanema inatomaria) |
 Bent-lined Gray (Iridopsis larvaria) |
 Small Purplish Gray (Anacamptodes humaria) |
 Fringed Looper (Campaea perlata) |
 Hemlock Looper (Lambdina fiscellaria) |
 Yellow-headed Looper Moth (Lambdina pellucidaria) |
 Fall Cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria) |
 Double-lined Gray (Cleora sublunaria) |
 Canadian Melanolophia (Melanolophia canadaria) |
 Wild Cherry Looper (Lomographa semiclarata) |
 White-fringed Emerald (Nemoria mimosaria) |
 Autumn Juniper Moth (Thera juniperata) |
 Curve-lined Angle (Semiothisa continuata) |
 Hemlock Angle (Semiothisa fissinotata) |
 Powder Moth (Eufidonia notataria) |
 Yellow-dusted Cream Moth (Cabara erythemaria) |
 Tulip-tree Beauty (Epimecis hortaria) |
 Juniper Twig Inch-worm (Patalene olyzonaria) [Juniper Geometer] |
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