crocus geometer moth - Species Profile
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview
Xanthotype is a genus of medium-sized moths called crocus geometer moths. There are five species of Xanthotype, all occurring only in North America. Three species occur in Minnesota. They are found in mixed and deciduous forests. Larvae feed on many trees, shrubs, and forbs, including poison ivy. Adults are active during the day but will also come to lights at night.
Description
Adults are pale yellow or bright yellow with numerous pinkish- or purplish-brown spots. The background color and density of spotting is variable. Some individuals have just a few large dark spots on a pale yellow background, others are heavily spotted on a dark yellow background. Unfortunately, this does not help to identify the species.
A study (Rindge, 1978) of 1,886 specimens concluded that there is no reliable way to distinguish species within this genus except by genital dissection, a procedure not ordinarily performed in the field. “The adults of all species in this genus are, for practical purposes, externally indistinguishable from one another, as they are almost identical in color, maculation, and size.”
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 9/2/2026).
Xanthotype Warren, 1894 in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-07-17 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgykv
Quinn, Edward. M., and Ron Danielson. April 27, 2009. A Survey of Lepidoptera in Three Priority Areas of the Minnesota State Parks System. https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/nongame/projects/consgrant_reports/2009
/2009_quinn_danielson.pdf.
Taxonomy
Order
Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily
Geometroidea (Geometrid and Swallowtail Moths)
Family
Subfamily
Ennominae
Tribe
Angeronini
Tribe
The genus Xanthotype was assigned to the tribe Angeronini in 1983. Four analyses published between 2015 and 2019 suggest that Angeronini should be considered a junior synonym of Gnophini. This recommendation has not been widely followed. One source that does follow it is iNaturalist, but in this they appear unique.
Subordinate Taxa
crocus geometer (Xanthotype sospeta) 
false crocus geometer moth (Xanthotype urticaria)
geometer moth (Xanthotype attenuaria)
geometer moth (Xanthotype barnesi)
rufus geometer moth (Xanthotype rufaria)
Synonyms
Common Names
crocus geometer moth
crocus geometer moths
