Synonyms: Hodges #7058, Wavy-lined Emerald.
According to Maryland moth experts John Glaser and Larry Line, the Wavy-lined Emerald Moth is common across the state.
Very similar to Southern Emerald Moth and great care should be taken in separating the two species. The Southern Emerald Moth has a more jagged white transverse line across the wing than the Wavy-lined Emerald Moth. The Wavy-lined Emerald Moth should be the only Synchlora west of the piedmont.
The caterpillar of the Wavy-lined Emerald Moth is distinctive. Called the Camouflaged Looper, it can be found in fields and woodland edges from spring to early autumn. To avoid detection by predators, it uses its mouthparts to clip off fragments of the plant it's feeding on, such as flower parts and pieces of leaves, and it then attaches them to its back with silk. When the caterpillar molts or changes to a different host plant, it changes its decoration to match its new host.
Readily comes into porch lights.
The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of host plants, including Blue Mistflower, Common Dandelion, Gray Goldenrod, Canada Goldenrod, Black-eyed Susan, American Red Raspberry, Spearmint, Yellow Sweetclover, Dense Blazing Star, Shaggy Blazing Star, Black Huckleberry, Canadian Horseweed, Sweet Fern, Yellow Birch, White Heath Aster, (Database of the Word's Lepidopteran Host Plants).
There are 352 records in the project database.
| GA | AL | WA | FR | CL | MO | HO | BA | BC | HA | CE | PG | AA | CV | CH | SM | KE | QA | CN | TA | DO | WI | SO | WO |
