Bug FAQJuniper Geometer Moth
Patalene olyzonaria · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Also called: Juniper Geometer, Juniper Twig Girder, Juniper-twig Geometer
Source: Wikipedia
The wingspan is about 21 to 25 mm. Adults are seen from April through November and there are two to three generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Patalene olyzonaria, called the juniper-twig geometer, belongs to the Geometridae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 21 to 25 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives from Quebec and New Hampshire down to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on juniper species and sometimes on Thuja occidentalis and possibly pine.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults fly from April to November, producing two to three generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April through November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes parts of Canada and the United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a member of the Geometridae family, which includes many similar moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, New York, Ohio, Massachusetts.
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 can I see adult juniper geometer moths?
Adults are active from April through November.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars eat?
They feed on juniper, Thuja occidentalis and possibly pine.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It occurs from Quebec and New Hampshire down to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Wisconsin.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Willow BeautyPeribatodes rhomboidaria
Pale BeautyCampaea perlataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Lace-border MothScopula limboundataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Riband WaveIdaea aversata
Yellow Shell MothCamptogramma bilineata
Large Maple Spanworm MothProchoerodes lineolaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patalene_olyzonaria
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.