Courtesy Can. For. Serv., Can. Dep. 
Environ., Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. 
Figure 79.—Larva of the linden looper, Erannis tiliaria. 
Larvae of Lycia ursaria (Walker), the stout looper, feed on the foliage of a 
number of hardwoods such as paper birch, willow, elm, maple, poplar, basswood, 
ash, pin cherry, and alder in eastern Canada and the Atlantic Coast States. Willow 
and paper birch appear to be preferred. The adult is gray, stout-bodied, and has a 
wingspread of about 45 mm. Both pairs of wings are crossed by diffused, blackish 
lines. Full-grown larvae are about 35 mm long. There are four large whitish spots 
on the front of the prothorax, and the gray body is marked with numerous 
longitudinal, wavy red-brown lines and creamy-white spots. Larvae are present 
from May to July, and winter is spent as pupae in the ground. This species is 
occasionally quite common in New England. 
Nacophora quernaria (J. E. Smith), the oak beauty, occurs on oaks in the 
Atlantic Coast States and Pennsylvania, and on paper birch from New Brunswick 
west to central Saskatchewan in Canada. Full-grown larvae are about 50 mm long. 
The head is bilobed and angular; the body slate gray, stoutish, and armed with 
brownish tubercles. The tops of the first two thoracic segments are also marked 
with reddish brown and black. Larvae are found from June to September; winter 1s 
spent in the pupal stage. The yellowish-green egg is iridescent and acorn-shaped 
with a circle of white spots on the top (434). 
Plagodis serinaria Herrich-Schaffer feeds on various hardwoods such as red and 
sugar maples, yellow and paper birches, beech, and aspen in the Northeastern 
States and eastern Canada. Full-grown larvae are about 37 mm long. The head is 
bilobed and angular; the body, dull brown with blotches of lighter and darker shades 
and a prominent swollen area on the back of the sixth abdominal segment. Winter is 
spent in the pupal stage, and adults are present during May and June. P. kuetzingi 
(Grote) feeds on ash in the Northeastern States, Nova Scotia west to Ontario and the 
Lake States (434). 
Probole amicaria (Herrich-Schaffer) and P. alienaria Herrich-Schaffer feed on 
various hardwoods throughout much of the Eastern United States and from coast to 
coast in southern Canada. Full-grown larvae are green to brownish and about 30 
mm long. The head is rather small and flattened in front, and there are two whitish 
spots on the tops of all body segments except the prothorax. Larvae are present from 
July to early September, and winter is spent in the pupal stage. 
The filament bearer, Nematocampa limbata (Haworth), feeds on the foliage of 
hemlock, fir, and such hardwoods as maple, oak, gray birch, pin cherry, buckeye, 
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