common angle

not listed

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

not listed

Common angle is a common, small, typical geometer moth. It occurs across the United States and southern Canada, in Mexico, in Central America, and in South America. It is most common in the U.S. east of the Great Plains. It is common in eastern and north-central Minnesota. The larvae feed on the leaves of maple and boxelder, and possibly of hackberry, and honey locust, and other trees. Adults are found from May through June, and probably into August, in woodlands and forested areas with maples.

Adults are ⅜″ (10 mm) in length and have a ¾″ to 1″ (20 to 25 mm) wingspan. The forewing length of females is 7⁄16″ to 9⁄16″ (11 to 14 mm), of males is ⅜″ to ½″ (10 to 13 mm).

The forewing is broad and strongly angulate. The outer margin has a shallow, cycle-shaped indentation near the tip. The indentation is accented with a dark fringe. The ground color of the wing is off-white to cream-colored or very pale brown. It is usually densely peppered with grayish-brown to yellowish-brown scales, making the wing appear darker. The antemedial (AM), median, and postmedial (PM) bands are narrow, slightly wavy, and almost parallel. They are distinct but not bold. Each band is darkened and strongly angled forward near the leading edge (costal margin). On the PM band there is usually a small dark brown spot where it crosses each vein. The terminal line is thin, dark, and usually broken into a series of dashes. There is a large, roundish, dark, “paw print” spot near the middle of the wing straddling the PM band. It is dissected by the pale PM band and two pale wing veins into five distinct sections. There is a smaller, squarish spot in the postmedial area at the costal margin.

The hindwing is strongly angled at the outer margin with a pointed extension that gives it a tailed look. The AM band is absent. The median band is nearly straight. The PM band is strongly wavy, convex, and sometimes broken. The terminal line is similar to that on the forewing. There is a small dark discal spot. The hindwing is otherwise unmarked.

The head and thorax are the same color as the forewings. The antennae on the female are thread-like. The antennae on the male are moderately saw-toothed (serrate), not branched (pectinate).

On the front legs, the fourth segment (tibia) does not have a spine at the tip. On the hind legs, the tibia is not swollen.

Total length: ⅜″ (10 mm)

Wingspan: ¾″ to 1″ (20 to 25 mm)

Female forewing length: 7⁄16″ to 9⁄16″ (11 to 14 mm)

Male forewing length: ⅜″ to ½″ (10 to 13 mm)

Woodlands and forested areas with maple

One generation per year: May through June

Adults are active at night and will come to lights. The wings are held flat and spread out when at rest.

Leaves of maple and boxelder

Sources

4, 21, 24, 29, 30, 75, 82, 83.

Common

Location: Vetsch Park, La Crescent, MN