Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFGeometridae Members:
Chlorochlamys Members:
129 NC Records

Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria (Guenée, [1858]) - Blackberry Looper

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Geometroidea Family: GeometridaeSubfamily: GeometrinaeTribe: HemitheiniP3 Number: 910654.00 MONA Number: 7071.00
Comments: One of four species in this genus recorded in North America and the only one found in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1969, 1985)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1969, 1985); Wagner et al. (2001); Wagner (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A small gray-green or yellowish-green Emerald with white striae and fairly broad, cream-colored antemedian and postmedian lines. The postmedian on the forewing is fairly straight and even. The antemedian is convex on the forewing and missing on the hindwing. The fringes and costa are yellowish and the front is either yellowish or rusty-orange (Ferguson, 1985).
Forewing Length: 8-11 mm, males; 9-11.5 mm, females (Ferguson, 1985)
Adult Structural Features: Antennae of the males are broadly pectinate at the base, gradually tapering towards the apex. Only a single pair of spurs is present on the hind tibiae of the male, distinguishing them from Nemoria, Dichorda, and Synchlora, all of which have two pairs, as do females of Chlorochlamys. Male genitalia have characteristic large socii and uncus (see Ferguson, 1985, for details and illustrations).
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are smoothly cylindrical, lacking the dorsolateral projections and spines found in Nemoria, Dichorda, and Synchlora. The head is bifid, with two angular, forward-projecting points; two similar points are also found on the anterior edge of the prothorax (Forbes, 1948; Ferguson, 1985). Larvae of the Pistachio Emerald (Hethemia pistaciaria) are similar but have longer and more pointed horns (Ferguson, 1985; Wagner, 2005).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably occurs statewide, 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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