Operophtera bruceata
Operophtera bruceata, the Bruce spanworm, hunter's moth, or native winter moth is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It is found from coast to coast in southern Canada and the northern parts of the United States. The wingspan of the males is 25–30 mm. Females have underdeveloped wings and do not fly. Adults are on wing from October to December. The Bruce spanworm looks very similar and has a similar life cycle to the invasive congener winter moth (O. brumata). The Bruce spanworm is known to hybridize with the winter moth. The two species look almost identical to one another; however, they can be distinguished morphologically by comparing uncus shape or by using DNA analyses. The Bruce spanworm uses the same pheromone as the winter moth. The larvae hatch in the early spring after overwintering as eggs. The neonates primarily feed on the buds and nearly unfurled leaves of sugar maple, American beech and trembling aspen. They have also been recorded on willow and various other deciduous trees. After feeding for a few weeks, the late instar caterpillars drop down to the soil and build an earthen cocoon. They