Smoky Carpet, Four Barred Grey

Not of concern.

Peak adult activity in AB is in May. A second generation in parts of the range, possibly also in AB.

A transcontinental boreal species across southern Canada from Nova Scotia to the BC coast, north to Lake Athabasca in Alberta and south to Georgia and Oregon (Prentice 1963, McGuffin 1977).

"The uniform grey background colour, evenly curved transverse lines and relatively small size make intertexta most simialr to the Semiothisa unipunctaria group. However, intertexta lacks the dark forewing subterminal patch of Semiothisa, and often has four evenly spaced forewing transverse lines. Listed as anticaria (Wlk.) by McGuffin (1977), but this name was synonimized under intertexta by Ferguson in Hodges (1983). "

Mesic woodlands where the hosts (birch and alder) occur.

Larvae are solitary defoliators, and pupate before overwintering. The larva (illustrated in Wagner et al. 2001) varies in colour from yellow and green to brown or mauve with fine paler lines. There are two broods annually in BC and eastern USA, with flights in May and again in August. There is currently no indication of a second flight in Alberta.

Larvae feed on members of the birch family, including birches (Betula papyrifera, B. glandulosa, B. betulifolia) and alders (Alnus spp.) (Prentice 1963).