Bent-line Carpet (7416)

Costaconvexa centrostrigaria

Family Geometridae, subfamily Laurentiinae

Photograph copyright by Tony Leukering

5 July 2012

Near Whitesboro

CMMP block S07

Distribution map

With this installment, we go back to the large and varied family, Geometridae. As noted previously, the full-spread wing posture of the pictured beast is typical of the family and not matched by many other species, particularly among the smaller to medium-sized moths. Bent-line Carpet is a very common and widespread species, coming to lighting in small numbers, but through a very large part of the moth year. The sexes differ in appearance and, like many moth species, this one is quite individually variable in precise extent of darker coloration; all share at least the dark forewing apical patch and at least thin dark bands at the antemeridian and postmeridian lines.

The subfamily housing the carpets also houses the pugs, a group of generally small moths with very short hindwings that give them a distinctive look that allows for immediate identification as a pug. Unfortunately, that point is the last at which pugs are easy, and I may go into them in the future at this site.