Plagodis alcoolaria

Plagodis alcoolaria, the hollow-spotted plagodis, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1857. It is found in eastern and central North America.

Plagodis alcoolaria
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Geometridae
Genus:	Plagodis
Species:	P. alcoolaria
Binomial name
Plagodis alcoolaria (Guenée, 1857)
Synonyms
Plagodis kempii Hulst, 1900 (summer form)

The wingspan is 26–35 mm. Adults are on wing from the end of March to September.

The larvae feed on various deciduous trees, including basswood, beech, maple and oak. They prefer Betula (birch) species.

Description

They have yellowish-white wings, with orangish-brown shading and lines that range in color from orange to brown black. The perimeter line curves outward and meets costa closer to apex than in other Plagodis species. They also have a large discal spot. The summer brood (P. kempii) have a paler yellow color with fewer markings than the spring brood.

Distribution and habitat

They are found across North America. They are spotted from Nova Scotia to Georgia, west to Manitoba, and in South Dakota, Missouri, and Mississippi.

External links

• "911277.00 – 6844 – Plagodis alcoolaria – Hollow-spotted Plagodis Moth – (Guenée, [1858])". North American Moth Photographers Group. Mississippi State University. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
• Cotinis (January 25, 2020). "Species Plagodis alcoolaria - Hollow-spotted Plagodis - Hodges#6844". BugGuide. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
• Anweiler, G. G. & Schmidt, B. C. (April 8, 2004). "Species Details Plagodis alcoolaria". University of Alberta Museums. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved November 12, 2020.