Plantain Wave
Common NamePlantain Wave
Scientific NameScopula plantagenaria
FamilyGeometridae
SubfamilySterrhinae
Wingspan (mm)20
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorswhite, brown, grey
HabitatOpen woods, fields, gardens
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Manitoba and Texas
Host Plantsplantain, dandelion
Flight PeriodMay to September (north), March to October (south)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae feed on low-growing plants such as plantain and dandelion, overwintering as larvae before pupating and emerging as adults.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its small size, whitish ground color with fine dark speckling, and faint, wavy crosslines. Often requires close examination to differentiate from other similar *Scopula* species.
Description
A small, pale moth with a whitish ground color heavily speckled and mottled with brownish-grey, giving it a cryptic, lichen-like appearance.
