This common and beautiful moth is fairly easy to recognize but has highly variable amount of "jeweling" on the wings, from none, as here (form enucleata), to heavily bejeweled, as in the next photo. All forms are largish pale moths with wavy tan lines and usually a black spot near the center of all four wings. The black spot is sometimes missing in the forewings, as here, but almost always present in the hindwings.

The caterpillars (not shown), which look like brown sticks, feed on a wide variety of plants, from elm and cherry trees to dandelions and cinquefoil.

Carroll Co., VA 7/23/10

Form enucleata (without the lacy border).

Carroll Co., VA 6/6/10.

Carroll Co., VA 7/11/10.

Durham, NC 8/15/12.

Durham, NC 8/10/12.

Durham, NC 5/26/09

Durham, NC 6/4/08

Carroll Co., VA 7/7/07

Carroll Co., VA 7/13/07

Durham, NC 6/3/08

Carroll Co., VA 5/27/07

Carroll Co., VA 8/12/06

Durham, NC 5/23/07

form enucleata - Wake Co., NC 6/4/05

form enucleata - Carroll Co., VA 9/3/06

form enucleata - Carroll Co., VA 9/22/06

form enucleata - Carroll Co., VA 9/23/06

Carroll Co., VA 9/23/06