### Identification The Abbreviated Button Slug Moth (*Tortricidia flexuosa*) is a master of understated elegance. This small moth, with a wingspan of just 15–22 mm, is best identified by its warm, ochre-to-tan forewings and its distinctive resting posture—it sits with its wings folded steeply like a tiny, fuzzy pup tent. Look closely for the "flexuous" line: a dark, brownish, sinuous band that curves gracefully across the wing. Unlike its cousin, the Early Button Slug (*T. testacea*), *flexuosa* typically features a darker, more diffused patch near the wing tip and a line that is more deeply curved. The larvae are even more striking—bright green, oval, and completely shell-like, lacking the visible legs of typical caterpillars.
### Habitat & Range You’ll find this species throughout the deciduous forests of Eastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia down to the Gulf States and west to the Mississippi. They are most at home in the dappled shade of mature woodlands, particularly where oak, maple, and cherry trees dominate the canopy. They aren't high-altitude specialists; look for them in lowland forests and suburban woodlots.
### Behaviour & Diet The adult moths are strictly nocturnal and are frequently drawn to UV lights on humid summer nights. However, the real drama happens on the undersides of leaves. The larvae are generalist feeders, munching on the foliage of hardwoods like oak, hickory, and birch. Because they lack prolegs, they don't "crawl" in the traditional sense; instead, they move with a slow, rhythmic undulating motion. An observer in the field might notice "window-pane" feeding patterns on leaves where a young larva has scraped away the green tissue but left the clear cuticle intact.
### Fascinating Fact The Abbreviated Button Slug doesn't walk—it glides! Instead of legs, the caterpillar has a specialized "sucker" on its underside and secretes a thin layer of liquid silk. It essentially ice-skates across the leaf surface on a lubricated film, leaving a faint, glistening trail behind it just like a garden slug.