Red-Fringed Emerald

Fascinating facts about the Red-Fringed Emerald

• The red-fringed emerald stretches from the Atlantic coast of New Brunswick all the way to the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, then leaps westward across the continent to the Central Coast of California and reaches north into Ontario. Its range also includes Texas. This immense distribution shows the moth's ability to thrive in diverse forest types, from oak-rich woodlands.
• In the southern part of its range, the red-fringed emerald takes to the night sky from March through October, while farther north its flight window narrows to May through August. This extended season in warmer climates enables the species to produce at least two generations each year.
• Two subspecies of Nemoria bistriaria are recognized: the nominal N. bistriaria bistriaria and N. bistriaria siccifolia, the latter occupying the northernmost stretch from Pennsylvania to southern Quebec and Ontario. The northern subspecies displays a spring form that is green rather than the typical light-brown.
• Adults of Nemoria bistriaria sport a modest wingspan of about 22 mm, a size confirmed by multiple observations and photographic measurements.
• The caterpillars of Nemoria bistriaria feed on a variety of woody hosts, most notably the leaves of White Oak (Quercus alba) but also on bayberry, redroot, sheep laurel, sumac, sweet-fern, and sweetgale.

At a glance

About the Red-Fringed Emerald

In the dappled light of a forest glade, the Red-Fringed Emerald dances on iridescent wings, its delicate form weaving an intricate pattern of movement as it flits from leaf to leaf. With each beat of its wings, the emerald's scarlet fringes glow like tiny lanterns, illuminating its path as it pursues the sweet nectar that sustains it. As it moves, the Red-Fringed Emerald embodies the very essence of its surroundings, its ethereal beauty inextricably linked to the vibrant world it inhabits.

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