Bug FAQCherry Scallop Shell Moth
Rheumaptera prunivorata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Also called: Ferguson's Scallop Shell Moth, Cherry Scallop Shell
The cherry scallop shell moth has a wingspan of about 35 mm and belongs to the Geometridae family. It lives in eastern North America, from eastern Canada down through the eastern United States to Georgia, and the adults fly from May through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan is roughly 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found across eastern Canada and the eastern United States, reaching as far south as Georgia.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on chokecherry (Prunus virginiana).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Flight period spans late spring through early fall, varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 34 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are cherry scallop shell moths active?
Adults fly from May through September, with exact timing depending on where you live.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of chokecherry (Prunus virginiana).
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheumaptera_prunivorata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.