# American Oak Beauty

*Phaeoura quernaria*

The caterpillar is a master of disguise, mimicking a broken oak twig so perfectly that even hungry birds overlook it.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Geometridae › Phaeoura
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous and mixed forests, particularly oak woodlands.
- **Diet:** Caterpillars feed on oak, cherry, and other hardwood leaves; adults do not feed.
- **Range:** Eastern United States, Southeastern Canada
- **Size:** Wingspan of 35-55 mm (1.4-2.2 inches)
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (adults live only 1-2 weeks)
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Habitat fragmentation, widespread pesticide application, and artificial light pollution.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. It is completely safe to observe from any distance. If one lands on you, it cannot bite or sting. To help them, turn off outdoor lights at night to prevent them from becoming disoriented.

## About

Phaeoura quernaria , the Oak Beauty , is a moth of the Geometridae family. It is found in eastern North America, occurring as far west as east-central Alberta. The habitat consists of aspen-cherry shrubland.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/0fef0c82-99e7-421d-9b33-6064f586af03
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/130003
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaeoura quernaria
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/3097475/medium.jpg (Aaron Carlson, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.