Moths of North Carolina
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319 NC Records

Macaria aemulataria Walker, 1861 - Common Angle


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: MacariiniP3 Number: 910750.00 MONA Number: 6326.00 MONA Synonym: Semiothisa aemulataria
Comments: This is one of 73 species in this genus that occur in North America, with 17 species occurring in North Carolina. In the latest checklist of North American Lepidoptera (Pohl and Nanz, 2023), North American members of the genus Speranza and Epelis were treated as junior synonyms of Macaria. Macaria aemulataria is included in the hardwood-feeding notata species group by Ferguson (2008), of which M. notata and M. promiscuata are the other members that occur in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Semiothisa aemulataria); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Ferguson (2008)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wagner et al. (2001); Ferguson (2008)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A pale tan species with the angled hindwings, semi-falcate forewings typical of this genus. M. aemulataria is usually smaller but otherwise similar to several other species and best distinguished by a combination of structural features (see below). It is usually more strongly dusted, and consequently darker than M. promiscuata or M. notata and with a smaller spot patch on the subterminal and a shallower subapical notch. The subterminal area is usually not contrastingly darker than the median area, as is frequent in M. promiscuata and typical in M. bicolorata. The undersides of the wings -- frequently visible in Macaria when they hold their wings vertically -- are not contrastingly lighter or more ochre as they are in M. bicolorata, and the median band is not as contrastingly dark and red as it is in M. promiscuata. M. aemulataria has been particularly confused with M. aequiferaria, which is confined to habitats containing cypress (Taxodium sp.). Males are easily distinguished by structural features and M. aequiferaria usually has a darker subterminal area and the spot patch on the subterminal line is usually not as dissected by yellow veins (Ferguson, 2008). As in other members of this species group, the head is yellow or ocher, contrasting with the paler gray thorax and abdomen.
Wingspan: 22 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: Males have non-swollen hind tibiae, similar only to M. notata among the Macaria that occur in North Carolina (Forbes, 1948; Ferguson, 2008). Unlike M. aequiferaria, males lack a fovea and their antennae are only moderately serrate, rather than heavily serrate or bipectinate as in M. aequiferaria (Forbes, 1948). They also lack the pecten on the third abdominal sternum, similar again to M. notata but unlike most other Macaria (Ferguson, 2008).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are yellow or green but may also come in other colors (Wagner et al., 2001). The head is typically unmarked. A darker line runs along the mid-dorsum, bordered by cream addorsal lines; another dark line runs below the spiracles with a paler area located between the addorsal and subdorsal lines. Macaria larvae found feeding on Maples are most likely to represent this species but the larvae of many species of the Macaria are very similar to one another and any not found on their foodplants may need to be reared to adulthood to confirm their identification (see Wagner et al., 2001, and Ferguson, 2008, for details). Overwintering is done in the pupal stage (Wagner et al., 2001).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Occurs throughout North Carolina, from the Barrier Islands to the High Mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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