Furcula borealis

(Guérin-Méneville, 1844)

White Furcula Moth

Furcula borealis, commonly known as the white furcula , is a North American notodontid moth with a wingspan of 31–42 mm. are active from April to August across a broad range extending from New Hampshire to Florida and westward to Texas, Colorado, and South Dakota. The larvae feed on woody plants including cherry, willow, and poplar .

Furcula borealis1 by J.Gill, Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.Furcula borealis – White Furcula Moth by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.Furcula borealis by Lacy L. Hyche. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Furcula borealis: //ˈfʊrk.jʊ.lə bɔːˈriː.ə.lɪs//

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Identification

Wingspan 31–42 mm. can be distinguished from similar Furcula by specific wing pattern characteristics typical of the , though precise diagnostic features for F. borealis specifically are not detailed in available sources. The genus Furcula is characterized by with tailed hindwings and distinctive notodontid .

Images

Distribution

Eastern and central North America: from New Hampshire south to Florida, west to Texas, with disjunct in Colorado and South Dakota.

Seasonality

on wing from April to August.

Diet

Larvae feed on Prunus avium (sweet cherry), Salix (willow) , and Populus (poplar) species.

Host Associations

  • Prunus avium - larval food plant
  • Salix - larval food plant-level ; specific not documented
  • Populus - larval food plant-level ; specific not documented

Similar Taxa

  • Furcula cinereaSimilar range and ; both eastern North American Furcula with overlapping plant preferences
  • Furcula occidentalisWestern North American ; distinguished by geographic separation though some range overlap may occur in Colorado

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Sources and further reading