Ottawa (Dunrobin), ON Canada

14 June 2004   11:42PM EST  (top)
29 June 2003   10:34PM EST  (bottom)

Dyspteris abortivaria stands out from other small green moths because of its turquoise-green color, that is not confined to the wings but extends to the head, thorax, abdomen and even legs.  The relatively long narrow forewings are significantly different in shape from the wings of other green geometrid moths.  The forewing is marked with faint white antemedial and postmedial lines, and white discal spots.  The hindwing, much smaller than the forewing, also has faint white am and pm lines.  This moth is known as the Badwing, because it is apparently difficult to position for spreading.  Covell indicates a wingspan of 2.0 to 2.8 cm.

According to Handfield (1999), the larvae of Dyspteris abortivaria feed on grape and Virginia creeper.  He indicates two generations per year for my general area, with adult flight seasons from late May to after mid-July and from the end of July into the second half of August.

My records to date for Dyspteris abortivaria (each date representing "the night of") are in the table below: