Scientific name: Eupithecia placidata (Taylor)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae

Distribution

British Columbia

This species occurs throughout the interior host range south of Williams Lake, British Columbia; it also occurs south to California.

Damage, symptoms and biology

Eupithecia placidata is a relatively uncommon innocuous solitary defoliator.

Mature larva up to 20 mm long. Twig mimic, strongly resembles dead or brown juniper twig. Head, greenish brown with dark markings. Body, rusty brown; dark U-shaped marking on dorsum behind head capsule; fine dark middorsal pinstripe; dorsum marked with dark wishbone pattern.

This species overwinters in the pupal stage. Adults emerge in July; larvae are present from mid-July to September and pupation occurs in September.

Canadian Forest Service Publications

Diet and feeding behaviour

Phyllophagous: Feeds on the leaves of plants.
- Free-living defoliator: Feeds on and moves about freely on foliage.

Information on host(s)

The principal host of Eupithecia placidata is Rocky Mountain juniper; this species has also been recorded from western redcedar.

Main host(s)

Secondary host(s)

Photos

Dion Manastyrski Centre de foresterie du Pacifique, Victoria (Colombie-Britannique) / Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, British Columbia

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