Flax-host
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Paleacrita vernata
Spring Cankerworm, Spring Cankerworm Moth
Paleacrita vernata is a geometrid moth known as the spring cankerworm. Males have functional wings and fly from February to late May, while females are wingless and climb tree trunks to lay eggs. The larvae are defoliators of deciduous trees and shrubs, with documented feeding on Acer, Ulmus, Betula, Prunus, and Quercus species. The species has been observed using flax as a secondary host, indicating broader host flexibility than previously recognized.