Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Phalaena antiqua (Linnaeus, 1758)
Phalaena paradoxa (Retzius, 1783)
Orgyia confinis (Grum-Grshimailo, 1891)
Orgyia gonostigma (Scopoli, 1763)
Orgyia recens (Hübner, 1819)
Identification
Females are wingless. The male wingspan is 3.0 cm. Forewing is red-brown with a large white subanal spot in the postmedian area, hindwing red-orange to orange-brown.''
Larval description from Wagner "Jet black dorsal stripe, four straw middorsal tufts, and bright red setal warts. Immediately distinguishable from all other tussocks by long, black, lateral hairpencil on A1 and adjacent white to tan hairpencil on T3. Black setae pencils or lashes plumose at their apices. Glands on A6 and A7 bright red"
(1)Range
Native to Europe but now found throughout North America, Europe, and parts of Africa and Asia, according to
this article.
Season
Moths fly in late summer to fall.
Food
Caterpillars are generalist feeders on the foliage of flowering trees in the Rosaceae, Fagaceae, Ericaceae, and Salicaceae.
Life Cycle
The female lays her eggs on what remains of the pupal cocoon, which then overwinter. When hatched, the very hairy caterpillars feed on a range of deciduous trees and shrubs.
