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Scientific Name Nacophora quernaria Common Name Oak Beauty Habitat Aspen-cherry shrubland. Seasonality The single Alberta record is for mid July. Identification

A robust, mainly black and creamy-white moth. Similar to Biston betularia, but the median area of N. quernaria is darker, not concolorous with the outer third of the wing. N. quernaria also has diffuse light tan…

A robust, mainly black and creamy-white moth. Similar to Biston betularia, but the median area of N. quernaria is darker, not concolorous with the outer third of the wing. N. quernaria also has diffuse light tan patches along the wing margin, lacking in betularia.

Read More + Life History The caterpillar is rather short and stout for a geometrid, and varies in colour from grey to brown or greenish (Wagner et al. 2001). Pupae hibernate. Adults are nocturnal and come to light. Conservation In Alberta known only from the Wainwright sand dunes complex. Widespread in the East. Diet Info Larvae feed on a variety of hardwood trees. Reported hosts which occur in Alberta include white birch (Betula papyrifera), willow (Salix spp.), poplars (Populus spp.) and cherry (Prunus spp.). Range An eastern species, recently found as far west as east-central Alberta.