Moths of North Carolina
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Campaea Members:
342 NC Records

Campaea perlata (Guenée, [1858]) - Pale Beauty Moth


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: EnnominaeTribe: CampaeiniP3 Number: 911226.00 MONA Number: 6796.00
Comments: The genus Campaea contains 5 species found in North America, Europe, India and China. Our single species is distributed over much of North America.
Species Status: Specimens from North Carolina have been bar-coded and are very similar to those from throughout the country other than a divergent group from the Pacific Northwest.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner et al. (2001)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-large, translucent whitish to pale green Geometrid; the sole markings are the relatively straight, antemedian and posmedian lines, both of which are white and bordered medially by green or greenish-brown. Sexes are similar. The species is quite distinct and unlikely to be confused with any other North American species. Tetracis cachexiata has a similar shape but its ground color is off white and the single crossline is dark and quite different in color from that of Campaea.
Wingspan: 35-50 mm (Forbes, 1948)
Adult Structural Features: Male antennae are bipectinate except at the apex, which is simple (Forbes, 1954). Pectinations are naked and are attached at the base of the antennal segments. Female antennae are fasciculate. Both pairs of spurs on the hind tibiae are well-developed. Male and female genitalia are quite distinct from those of any species likely to be confused with Campaea.
Structural photos
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Caterpillars are twig mimics with lateral fringes, similar to many caterpillars of Catocala but quite different in shape (more rounded). An extra set of prolegs on A5 along with the fringe of hairs are distinctive (Wagner et al., 2001).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Associated with woodland habitats in the western half of our state, including monadnocks in the western Piedmont. The eastern limits of its distribution are largely unknown nor is it clear why it does not extend widely into the Piedmont or Coastal Plain.
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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