Geometrinae -​ North American Emerald Moths of the US and Canada
  • Home
  • Geometrine Species
    • Chlorosea >
      • Chlorosea banksaria
      • Chlorosea margaretaria
      • Chlorosea roseitacta
    • Nemoria >
      • Nemoria mimosaria
      • Nemoria bistriaria >
        • Nemoria bistriaria larvae
      • Nemoria rubrifrontaria >
        • Nemoria rubrifrontaria larvae
      • Nemoria elfa >
        • Nemoria elfa larvae
      • Nemoria tuscarora >
        • Nemoria tuscarora larvae
      • Nemoria lixaria >
        • Nemoria lixaria larvae
      • Nemoria bifilata >
        • Nemoria bifilata larvae
      • Nemoria catachloa >
        • Nemoria catachloa larvae
      • Nemoria outina >
        • Nemoria outina larvae
      • Nemoria saturiba >
        • Nemoria saturiba larvae
      • Nemoria arizonaria >
        • Nemoria arizonaria larvae
      • Nemoria darwiniata >
        • Nemoria darwiniata larvae
      • Nemoria unitaria >
        • Nemoria unitaria larvae
      • Nemoria pulcherrima >
        • Nemoria pulcherrima larvae
      • Nemoria mutaticolor
      • Nemoria daedalea
      • Nemoria diamesa
      • Nemoria latirosaria
      • Nemoria viridicaria
      • Nemoria subsequens
      • Nemoria albaria
      • Nemoria pistaciaria
      • Nemoria extremaria
      • Nemoria zelotes
      • Nemoria obliqua >
        • Nemoria obliqua larvae
      • Nemoria splendidaria
      • Nemoria zygotaria >
        • Nemoria zygotaria larvae
      • Nemoria intensaria
      • Nemoria leptalea
      • Nemoria caerulescens >
        • Nemoria caerulescens larvae
      • Nemoria strigataria >
        • Nemoria strigataria larvae
      • Nemoria festaria >
        • Nemoria festaria larvae
      • Nemoria albilineata >
        • Nemoria albilineata larvae
      • Nemoria glaucomarginaria >
        • Nemoria glaucomarginaria larvae
      • Nemoria rindgei
    • Dichorda >
      • Dichorda iridaria >
        • Dichorda iridaria larvae
      • Dichorda consequaria
      • Dichorda illustraria >
        • DIchorda illustraria larvae
      • Dichorda rectaria >
        • Dichorda rectaria larvae
    • Dichordophora >
      • Dichordophora phoenix
    • Synchlora >
      • Synchlora cupedinaria
      • Synchlora aerata >
        • Synchlora aerata larvae
      • Synchlora frondaria >
        • Synchlora frondaria larvae
      • Synchlora xysteraria
      • Synchlora herbaria
      • Synchlora noel
      • Synchlora gerularia
      • Synchlora irregularia
      • Synchlora bistriaria
      • Synchlora pectinaria
      • Synchlora faseolaria
      • Synchlora graefiaria
    • Phrudocentra >
      • Phrudocentra centrifugaria
    • Lophochorista >
      • Lophochorista lesteraria
    • Xerochlora >
      • Xerochlora mesotheides
      • Xerochlora viridipallens
      • Xerochlora inveterascaria
      • Xerochlora martinaria
      • Xerochlora masonaria
    • Eueana >
      • Eueana niveociliaria
    • Chlorochlamys >
      • Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria >
        • Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria larvae
      • Chlorochlamys triangularis
      • Chlorochlamys appellaria >
        • Chlorochlamys appellaria larvae
        • Chlorochlamys appellaria genitalia
      • Chlorochlamys phyllinaria
    • Chloropteryx >
      • Chloropteryx tepperaria
      • Chloropteryx nordicaria
      • Chloropteryx paularia
    • Hemithea >
      • Hemithea aestivaria
    • Thalera >
      • Thalera pistasciaria >
        • Thalera pistasciaria larvae
    • Mesothea >
      • Mesothea incertata
  • Other Subfamilies
    • Archiearis infans
    • Campaea perlata
    • Caripeta
    • Eriplatymetra
    • Philtraea
    • Eulithis
    • Hydriomena
    • Stamnodes
    • Cyclophora pendulinaria
  • Immature Stages
  • FCS Research
    • Alypiodes
    • Callidulidae
    • GSENM Research
  • Contact
Nemoria elfa Ferguson, 1969. [7029]
Picture
Nemoria elfa male, reared ex ovum from parent female collected from cypress swamp, Pocomoke State Forest, Worcester Co., MD, May 2008.
Nemoria elfa is a small species, similar in size to Synchlora aerata. It has been found from Maryland in the Mid-Atlantic through the Carolinas to Florida and west to Texas.  Ferguson documented cool season forms that show varying degrees of brown coloration on the wings (see image below right), though these may be less common than the brown spring form of Nemoria bistriaria.  

N. elfa has an unmarked green abdomen and noticeably wavy pm lines on forewing and hindwing. The wing ground color is often a pale shade of green even on fresh specimens that have been reared. It is frequently marked with distinct discal spots on all four wings.
N. elfa larvae have been reported (Ferguson 1985) as being reared on sweetgum leaves (Liquidambar styraciflua), but the more common host plant appears to be baldcypress (Taxodium distichum). Wagner's Field Guide to Eastern caterpillars gives the species the name Cypress Emerald and reports baldcypress as the host plant. We have reared N. elfa successfully on both baldcypress and on oak, and also tested sweetgum and blueberry, these last two being only marginally successful at sustaining larval growth. 
 For additional images of immature stages of Nemoria elfa, click here: Nemoria elfa eggs, larvae and pupae.


Picture
Picture
Nemoria elfa, brown seasonal form. Collected Hancock Co., Mississippi, 21 December 1990. Collection of AMNH.
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Geometrine Species
    • Chlorosea >
      • Chlorosea banksaria
      • Chlorosea margaretaria
      • Chlorosea roseitacta
    • Nemoria >
      • Nemoria mimosaria
      • Nemoria bistriaria >
        • Nemoria bistriaria larvae
      • Nemoria rubrifrontaria >
        • Nemoria rubrifrontaria larvae
      • Nemoria elfa >
        • Nemoria elfa larvae
      • Nemoria tuscarora >
        • Nemoria tuscarora larvae
      • Nemoria lixaria >
        • Nemoria lixaria larvae
      • Nemoria bifilata >
        • Nemoria bifilata larvae
      • Nemoria catachloa >
        • Nemoria catachloa larvae
      • Nemoria outina >
        • Nemoria outina larvae
      • Nemoria saturiba >
        • Nemoria saturiba larvae
      • Nemoria arizonaria >
        • Nemoria arizonaria larvae
      • Nemoria darwiniata >
        • Nemoria darwiniata larvae
      • Nemoria unitaria >
        • Nemoria unitaria larvae
      • Nemoria pulcherrima >
        • Nemoria pulcherrima larvae
      • Nemoria mutaticolor
      • Nemoria daedalea
      • Nemoria diamesa
      • Nemoria latirosaria
      • Nemoria viridicaria
      • Nemoria subsequens
      • Nemoria albaria
      • Nemoria pistaciaria
      • Nemoria extremaria
      • Nemoria zelotes
      • Nemoria obliqua >
        • Nemoria obliqua larvae
      • Nemoria splendidaria
      • Nemoria zygotaria >
        • Nemoria zygotaria larvae
      • Nemoria intensaria
      • Nemoria leptalea
      • Nemoria caerulescens >
        • Nemoria caerulescens larvae
      • Nemoria strigataria >
        • Nemoria strigataria larvae
      • Nemoria festaria >
        • Nemoria festaria larvae
      • Nemoria albilineata >
        • Nemoria albilineata larvae
      • Nemoria glaucomarginaria >
        • Nemoria glaucomarginaria larvae
      • Nemoria rindgei
    • Dichorda >
      • Dichorda iridaria >
        • Dichorda iridaria larvae
      • Dichorda consequaria
      • Dichorda illustraria >
        • DIchorda illustraria larvae
      • Dichorda rectaria >
        • Dichorda rectaria larvae
    • Dichordophora >
      • Dichordophora phoenix
    • Synchlora >
      • Synchlora cupedinaria
      • Synchlora aerata >
        • Synchlora aerata larvae
      • Synchlora frondaria >
        • Synchlora frondaria larvae
      • Synchlora xysteraria
      • Synchlora herbaria
      • Synchlora noel
      • Synchlora gerularia
      • Synchlora irregularia
      • Synchlora bistriaria
      • Synchlora pectinaria
      • Synchlora faseolaria
      • Synchlora graefiaria
    • Phrudocentra >
      • Phrudocentra centrifugaria
    • Lophochorista >
      • Lophochorista lesteraria
    • Xerochlora >
      • Xerochlora mesotheides
      • Xerochlora viridipallens
      • Xerochlora inveterascaria
      • Xerochlora martinaria
      • Xerochlora masonaria
    • Eueana >
      • Eueana niveociliaria
    • Chlorochlamys >
      • Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria >
        • Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria larvae
      • Chlorochlamys triangularis
      • Chlorochlamys appellaria >
        • Chlorochlamys appellaria larvae
        • Chlorochlamys appellaria genitalia
      • Chlorochlamys phyllinaria
    • Chloropteryx >
      • Chloropteryx tepperaria
      • Chloropteryx nordicaria
      • Chloropteryx paularia
    • Hemithea >
      • Hemithea aestivaria
    • Thalera >
      • Thalera pistasciaria >
        • Thalera pistasciaria larvae
    • Mesothea >
      • Mesothea incertata
  • Other Subfamilies
    • Archiearis infans
    • Campaea perlata
    • Caripeta
    • Eriplatymetra
    • Philtraea
    • Eulithis
    • Hydriomena
    • Stamnodes
    • Cyclophora pendulinaria
  • Immature Stages
  • FCS Research
    • Alypiodes
    • Callidulidae
    • GSENM Research
  • Contact