Geometridae

This family has over 23000 members.

The caterpillars are known as 'loopers' and have a distinctive method of locomotion. Other caterpillars walk in a wave progression on their 3 pairs of prolegs. Loopers onlynhave 2 pairs of prolegs and so walk in a stepping style -head and thorax first followed by the abdomen.

They often rest with the wings spread flat onto the substrate, rather than folded behind the head like most moths.