take me and my little brother (occasionally) on short
walks to our local small grocery store. Upon the
approaches of the store we would follow the sidewalk
around the perimeter of a small derelict field along-
side the store. Even then, as young as 6 I would right
away notice these small orange-ish moths popping up
amongst the low foliage as we passed.
Naturally, my small-game hunter instincts kicked-in and
grandma's large (empty) pill bottles worked as the perfect
little capture/observation chamber. This little moth
species would come to be the quitessential one that would
"light the fire" of my appreciation for moths in general.
In time, and with the aid of books I would come to find out
that this cheerfully colored moth was known as the Chickweed
Geometer (Haematopis grataria). Quite common, 2-3 broods a
summer, sexes similar in appearance but, easy to tell apart by
antennae, and a species which was named in 1823.
Its genus is monotypic in its large family the Geometridae. So,
its the only species of its genus. Its family is tremendous in
diversity at around 23,000 descibed species thus far; making it
more numerous (alone) than the whole of ALL true butterflies
put togather !
The greater number of Geometrid moths are shades of browns,
gray's, and blacks with assorted patterning. Most are cryptically
colored to blend-in -- in plain view. Though, I have never really
taken-up an inordinate interest in this family I have always
retained a certain admiration for their rather flattened, sharpely
angled appearance; as well as for their incredible diversity.
So, I owe all my appreciation for the family to this little
orange "munchkin" of a species which captured my fascination
so long ago....
A female of the species.
