Inchworm
Guides
Alsophila
cankerworm moths
Alsophila is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae, subfamily Alsophilinae. The genus is characterized by extreme sexual dimorphism: males are winged and capable of flight, while females are wingless, flightless, and lack functional mouthparts. Adults are active in late autumn or early spring, with larvae (known as inchworms or loopers) feeding on hardwood tree foliage in spring. Several species are significant defoliators of shade trees, with populations exhibiting eruptive dynamics.
Alsophila pometaria
Fall Cankerworm Moth, Fall Cankerworm, Inchworm
Alsophila pometaria, the fall cankerworm, is a native North American geometrid moth notable for its sexually dimorphic adults: males are winged and capable of flight, while females are wingless, flightless, and lack functional mouthparts. The species exhibits a distinctive life cycle with adult emergence in late autumn and early winter, egg-laying on tree bark, and larval feeding in spring. Caterpillars are known as "inchworms" or "loopers" due to their characteristic looping locomotion. The species is a generalist defoliator of deciduous hardwood trees and can reach outbreak densities, causing significant economic and ecological impact.
Ametris nitocris
seagrape spanworm moth, greater inchworm
Ametris nitocris, commonly known as the seagrape spanworm moth, is a geometrid moth species described by Pieter Cramer in 1780. The species occurs throughout the Neotropical region, from the southern United States through Central America to South America, including the Caribbean islands. Its larvae are known locally in Florida as the greater inchworm and feed specifically on seagrape (Coccoloba diversifolia).
Anavitrinella pampinaria
common gray, North American Common Gray
Anavitrinella pampinaria, commonly known as the common gray or North American Common Gray, is a geometrid moth widespread across North America. Adults are small to medium-sized with muted gray coloration and relatively plain wing patterns. The species is notable for its extended flight season from early spring through autumn and its polyphagous larval stage that feeds on diverse woody and herbaceous plants. Caterpillars are classic "inchworms" with reduced prolegs, typical of the family Geometridae.
Campaea perlata
Pale Beauty, Fringed Looper, Light Emerald
Campaea perlata is a medium-sized geometrid moth found throughout North America, commonly known as the pale beauty. Adults are pale greenish to white with faint continuous lines across both forewings and hindwings, with females notably larger than males. The caterpillar, called the fringed looper, is an inchworm with distinctive fringe-like setae and twig-mimicking camouflage. The species has two annual generations in most of its range, with larvae overwintering on exposed tree trunks and branches.
Cyclophora dataria
A small geometrid moth found in western North American oak woodlands. Adults have a wingspan of 23–25 mm and are active in late spring and summer. The larvae feed exclusively on Quercus species and can be found in July and August. As a member of Geometridae, larvae possess reduced prolegs (two or three pairs), producing the characteristic looping locomotion of inchworms.
Cyclophora myrtaria
Wax Myrtle Wave, waxmyrtle wave moth
Cyclophora myrtaria, commonly known as the Wax Myrtle Wave, is a small geometrid moth native to North America. Adults have a wingspan of 24–27 mm. The species is found along the Atlantic coastal plain, where its larvae feed on Myrtaceae species. As a member of the Geometridae family, its caterpillars likely exhibit the reduced proleg count characteristic of inchworms.
Cyclophora pendulinaria
sweetfern geometer moth, pearly-grey wave
A small geometrid moth with wingspan 17–26 mm, found across much of North America from Newfoundland to the Yukon and south to Georgia. Adults are active from spring through fall, with larvae feeding on sweetfern (Comptonia) and alder (Alnus) leaves. The species inhabits moist to mesic forests.
Ectropis
Engrailed Moths
Ectropis is a genus of geometer moths (Geometridae) comprising approximately 100 species distributed primarily across paleotropical regions, Australia, and Asia. The genus includes several economically significant pests, notably E. obliqua and E. grisescens, which are sibling species known as tea loopers that damage tea production in China. These two species are morphologically similar but exhibit differences in geographical distribution, sex pheromone composition, and Wolbachia symbiont abundance. Only one species or species complex (E. bistortata/E. crepuscularia, the Engrailed/Small Engrailed) occurs in Europe. The genus has a complex taxonomic history with several invalid junior synonyms and homonyms.
Episemasia solitaria
Episemasia solitaria is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. It was described by Walker in 1861 under the basionym Ephyra solitaria. The species is recorded from North America and has been assigned MONA/Hodges number 6713. As a member of the subfamily Ennominae, it belongs to a diverse group of moths commonly known as inchworms or loopers due to their characteristic larval locomotion.
Eupithecia miserulata
Common Eupithecia, Common Eupithecia Moth
Eupithecia miserulata, the Common Eupithecia, is a small North American moth in the family Geometridae. Adults have a wingspan of 12–20 mm and are active from March to November depending on location. The species exhibits considerable geographic variation across its range, with three recognized subspecies. It has been documented visiting apple flowers and may contribute to nocturnal pollination services.
Hypomecis longipectinaria
hybrid fescue
Hypomecis longipectinaria, commonly known as the hybrid fescue, is a species of geometrid moth described by Blanchard & Knudson in 1984. It belongs to the family Geometridae, a large group commonly called inchworms or loopers due to their characteristic larval locomotion. The species is found in North America. It is assigned Hodges number 6439.1 in the North American moth numbering system.
Iridopsis humaria
small purplish gray
Iridopsis humaria, commonly known as the small purplish gray, is a species of geometrid moth in the family Geometridae. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 6584. Larvae of this species have been documented feeding on soybean (Glycine max) as a favored host plant. The species belongs to a genus whose larvae are known for their distinctive 'inching' locomotion characteristic of geometrid caterpillars.
Iridopsis pseudoherse
Iridopsis pseudoherse is a species of geometrid moth in the subfamily Ennominae, described by Rindge in 1966. It belongs to a genus whose larvae are known as inchworms or loopers, characterized by their distinctive locomotion using only prolegs at the body extremes. The species is part of a group that includes some soybean-feeding members, though specific host associations for I. pseudoherse remain undocumented.
Numia
Numia is a strictly Neotropical genus of geometer moths (Geometridae: Ennominae). The genus contains at least one well-documented species, N. terebintharia Guenée, which has been recorded from the Caribbean, Florida, Costa Rica, and northeastern Brazil. Caterpillars are inchworm-type with two pairs of false abdominal legs and feed externally on leaves of Ziziphus species (Rhamnaceae). Adults are small moths with wingspans around 2.5 cm; females possess a large variable apical spot on the forewings, while males have bipectinate antennae and females have filiform antennae.
Numia terebintharia
A Neotropical geometrid moth in the subfamily Ennominae, first recorded in Brazil from the Caatinga region in 2021. Adults are small green moths with approximately 2.5 cm wingspan; females possess an apical spot on the forewings. The species was previously known from the Caribbean, Florida (USA), Haiti, and Costa Rica. Caterpillars are external leaf-feeders that can cause extensive defoliation of host plants.
Phigalia
Phigalia is a genus of geometer moths in the family Geometridae, established by Duponchel in 1829. Species in this genus are primarily North American and European, with several exhibiting distinctive life history traits including winter-emerging adults and, in some species, wingless females. The genus includes notable species such as the Spring Cankerworm (P. titea) and the Small Phigalia (P. strigataria), both of which are early-season defoliators of deciduous trees.
Phigalia titea
Half-wing Moth, Spiny Looper
Phigalia titea, commonly known as the Half-wing Moth or Spiny Looper, is a geometrid moth native to eastern North America. Adult males have fully developed wings with an average wingspan of approximately 34 mm, while females are wingless (apterous). The species is notable for its exceptionally early adult activity period in late winter and early spring, making it one of the first moths to appear each year. Larvae are polyphagous loopers (inchworms) that feed on a wide variety of deciduous hardwood trees and can cause significant defoliation during outbreak years.
Scopula ancellata
angled wave moth, pointed-winged wave
Scopula ancellata is a geometrid moth species first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1887. It is found across much of North America, from Quebec west to the Northwest Territories and British Columbia, and south to Michigan, Indiana, and Arizona. The species inhabits mixed wood and coniferous forests. Adults are small moths with a wingspan of approximately 23 mm. The larvae have been recorded feeding on Melilotus alba and Alnus tenuifolia.
Scopula inductata
Soft-lined Wave, soft-lined wave moth
Scopula inductata, commonly known as the soft-lined wave, is a moth in the family Geometridae described by Achille Guenée in 1857. It occurs across North America east of the Rocky Mountains, with adults active from July to September. The species has a wingspan of 20–25 mm and exhibits the characteristic 'wave' pattern typical of its genus.
Scopula junctaria
Simple Wave
Scopula junctaria, commonly known as the simple wave, is a moth species in the family Geometridae. First described by Francis Walker in 1861, it is widely distributed across northern North America, occurring throughout Canada and extending southward into the northern United States. Adults are active from late May through August, with a single generation per year. The species is characterized by its relatively small size and distinctive wing pattern.
Scopula lautaria
Small Frosted Wave, small frosted wave moth
Scopula lautaria, commonly known as the small frosted wave moth, is a species of geometrid moth described by Jacob Hübner in 1831. It is a member of the family Geometridae, which includes the inchworm moths, and belongs to the subfamily Sterrhinae. The species is distributed across parts of North America, particularly in the southeastern United States.
Scopula siccata
Scopula siccata is a species of geometrid moth first described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1939. It occurs in mountainous regions of western North America, inhabiting dry slopes at moderate to high elevations. The species has a relatively restricted distribution spanning from northern Colorado northward through Wyoming, western Montana, and Idaho to southern British Columbia and southwestern Alberta. Adults have a wingspan of 23–24 mm. Like other members of the genus Scopula, the larvae are likely inchworm-type caterpillars, though specific host plant associations remain undocumented.
Synchlora
Emerald moths, Wavy-lined emeralds
Synchlora is a genus of emerald moths in the family Geometridae, characterized by adults with leaf-green wings and larvae that exhibit remarkable camouflage behavior. Larvae actively adorn their bodies with pieces of host plants, creating a 'double cloak of invisibility' that makes them nearly indistinguishable from their surroundings. The genus name derives from Greek 'syn-' (with) and 'chlor' (green), referencing the green coloration of adults. Twelve species occur in North America, with S. aerata being the most widespread in the eastern United States.
Synchlora aerata
Wavy-lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
Synchlora aerata is a small emerald moth in the family Geometridae, known for its remarkable larval behavior of camouflaging itself with plant material. The caterpillar, called the camouflaged looper, attaches bits of flowers, leaves, or other plant tissue to spines on its back, rendering it nearly invisible among the vegetation it consumes. The adult moth exhibits characteristic wavy white lines across its emerald green wings. The species is widespread across North America and has been documented feeding on numerous composite flowers and other plants.
Vinemina catalina
Vinemina catalina is a moth species in the family Geometridae, first described by McDunnough in 1945. It belongs to the subfamily Ennominae, one of the largest subfamilies of geometer moths. The species is known from North America. Like other geometrid moths, its larvae are likely inchworms or loopers, characterized by their distinctive method of locomotion using only prolegs at the rear of the body.