Moth caterpillar? - Lophocampa maculata - BugGuide.Net

HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Previous events

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Erebidae » Tiger and Lichen Moths (Arctiinae) » Tiger Moths (Arctiini) » Phaegopterina » Lophocampa » Spotted Tussock Moth - Hodges#8214 (Lophocampa maculata)

Photo#238224

Copyright © 2008 Wendy 10

Moth caterpillar? - Lophocampa maculata

Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California, USA
November 4, 2008
Size: 5 cm

Found on ground near alder/willow riparian area.

tag · login or register to post comments

Contributed by Wendy 10 on 5 November, 2008 - 9:24pm
Last updated 11 November, 2008 - 3:26pm

Lophocampa maculata

I found the exact caterpillar as in this photo with the same colors and with 3 black dots (not 4 dots), on my blue-berry bush this month Oct. 2014 in San Francisco, CA 94116. We get lots of fog and cool weather here (50's and 60's mostly). Maybe the parents flew from Point Reyes area? I noticed most of these black and yellow types have 4 blacks dots. This one with 3 may be less common?

… GlennW, 20 October, 2014 - 3:55pm

login or register to post comments

L. maculata

I am conducting a reaearch project on L. maculata. Please ocntact me via email as I would like to get some info on this photo. Thank you for your time.

Ken Strothkamp

… ken strothkamp, 21 September, 2009 - 4:02pm

login or register to post comments

Request for info on photo

How should I contact you?

… Wendy 10, 21 October, 2014 - 8:38pm

login or register to post comments

Check out

Lophocampa maculata - Spotted Tussock Moth in the guide here, although 5 cm seems too large for that species??

… john and jane balaban, 5 November, 2008 - 10:25pm

login or register to post comments

Lophocampa maculata

Thanks. I did look at Lophocampa, but there's so much variation - some with no spots, different numbers of spots on ones that have spots, seems very confusing. Are they subspecies?

… Wendy 10, 6 November, 2008 - 11:45pm

login or register to post comments

About the variation

From what i've learned its latitude. The ones in Alberta never have black spots on the yellow where some other provinces with these caterpillars do have the spots.

… James Bailey, 20 November, 2008 - 6:15pm

login or register to post comments

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version

Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact