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Species Isa textula - Crowned Slug Moth - Hodges#4681

Crowned Slug Moth - Hodges #4681 - Isa textula - male moth 130 - Isa textula - male crowned slug - Isa textula Crowned Slug - Isa textula - female Isa textula 4681 - Isa textula - male Allen Acres moth II - Isa textula Isa textula - male Crowned Slug Moth - Isa textula
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Zygaenoidea (Flannel, Slug Caterpillar, Leaf Skeletonizer Moths and kin)
Family Limacodidae (Slug Caterpillar Moths)
Genus Isa
Species textula (Crowned Slug Moth - Hodges#4681)
Hodges Number
4681
Size
Caterpillar to 15mm
Identification
The caterpillar is pale green, flattened. Lobes bearing stinging spines radiate out from the edge of the body and additional stinging hairs run down its back. The middle of the back is often marked with yellow or red, especially towards the rear. The front edge of the body is edged with orange or red.(1)



Adult moth is brown


Range
Minnesota, S. Ontario and Massachusetts to Florida and Mississippi(1).

Also photographed in Texas; Bordelon and Knudson have specimens from the Big Thicket, and describe the species as "very common".
Habitat
Woodlands
Food
Larvae are often found on oak, but also eat leaves of many other trees including cherry, maple, basswood, elm and beech.

Dyar recorded on "chestnut, oak, beech, elm, maple, hop hornbeam, hickory, and linden" (2)
Life Cycle
Life cycle images:
larva; cocoon & adult
Remarks
Caution! This is a stinging caterpillar. See this site for more information.

Early instar caterpillars leave zigzagging tracks in the underside of leaves.
Print References
Bordelon and Knudson (3)
Works Cited
1.Caterpillars of Eastern North America
David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.
2.The Life-Histories of the New York Slug Caterpillars
Harrison G. Dyar. 1895. Journal of the New York Entomological Society.
3.Checklist of the Big Thicket National Preserve (Texas Lepidoptera Survey publication #2)
Charles Bordelon & Ed Knudson. 1999. Texas Lepidoptera Survey.