Bug FAQNotch-winged Wave
Idaea furciferata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Geometridae
Also called: Notch-winged Wave Moth
The notch-winged wave moth (Idaea furciferata) is a member of the Geometridae family. Males have a wingspan of about 17 mm and females about 15 mm. Adults fly from April to August, and the larvae eat clover and dandelion plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The notch-winged wave moth belongs to the family Geometridae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Males measure roughly 17 mm across the wings, while females are about 15 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the United States from Maryland south to northern Florida and west to Missouri and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on species of clover and dandelion.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adult moths are on the wing from April through August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults spans April to August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is in North America, recorded in the same states mentioned above.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 21 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult notch-winged wave moths active?
Adults are typically seen flying between April and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Geometridae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaea_furciferata
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.