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Species Halysidota tessellaris - Banded Tussock Moth - Hodges#8203
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Erebidae
Subfamily Arctiinae (Tiger and Lichen Moths)
Tribe Arctiini (Tiger Moths)
Subtribe Phaegopterina
Genus Halysidota
Species tessellaris (Banded Tussock Moth - Hodges#8203)
Other Common Names Pale Tussock Moth
Halisidote du pommier - En français… Ilze V-G.
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Halysidota tessellaris (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Phalaena tessellaris J.E. Smith, 1797
Halisidota oslari Rothschild, 1909
* phylogenetic sequence #930360
Explanation of Names TESSELLARIS: from the Latin "tessella" (a little square stone); a tessellated pattern is one laid out in a mosaic of small square blocks. Refers to the checkered pattern on the forewing.
"Tussock moth" for the tufts of hair on the caterpillar. ( tussock = a tuft or clump of green grass or similar verdure, forming a small hillock-- Wiktionary.)
Numbers Common to abundant except in southern Florida and southern Texas.
Size Wingspan 40-45 mm.
Forewing length 23-27 mm (Watson, 1980).
Identification Adults in the eastern regions can only be separated from Halysidota harrisii by genitalia dissection. (1)
Adult: forewing long and slender, pale yellow or cream-colored, crossed by four slightly darker wavy bands composed of irregular rectangular blocks
hindwing much smaller than forewing; leading half semitransparent white; trailing half shading to pale yellow. Thorax pale yellow or cream with a broad light-orange longitudinal stripe on top; the orange stripe contains two thin, parallel, pastel-turquoise stripes (resembling a "punk hairdo")
Larva: gray, dirty tan to yellow-brown with long paired white and black lashes on second and third thoracic segments. Those of second thoracic segment projecting forward beyond head. Eighth abdominal segment with third set of lashes. Dark medial dorsal tufts often forming dorsal line. [description from Caterpillars of Eastern Forests]
Halysidota tessellaris and harrisii can be determined by brushing the scales off the terminal end of the abdomen.
Range Eastern three-quarters of North America (absent west of the Rockies).
Habitat Deciduous woods; adults attracted to artificial light.
Season Adults fly from May to August (or to October in the south).
Caterpillar: July-October.
Food Larvae feed on leaves of alder, ash, birch, elm, hazel, hickory, oak, poplar, tulip tree, walnut, willow.
Life Cycle One generation per year in the north; two generations in the south. On Block Island, RI, adults fly mainly in July. (2)
1. Caterpillar. . . . . 2 and 3. Cocoons. . . . . 4 and 5. Adults
Remarks Wide range of color in the larva:
Freshly eclosed:
Early instars:
See Also Adults in the eastern regions can only be separated from Halysidota harrisii by genitalia dissection. (1)
In Florida only, compare Florida Tussock Moth ( H. cinctipes), which is virtually identical but the lower part of the face (frons) is brown, whereas the face is entirely yellow in Banded Tussock Moth.
In the southwest, H. schausi is very similar.
not to be confused with the Tussock Moths, subfamily Lymantriinae.
Print References Covell, p. 72, plate 12 #6 (3)
Holland, plate XIV-12 (5)
Wagner, p. 27--photo caterpillar (6)
Watson, A. 1980. A revision of the Halysidota tessellaris species-group (Halysidota sensu stricto) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology 40(1): 12. (7)
Internet References Caterpillars of Eastern Forests live larva image plus common name references, description, foodplants, seasonality, life cycle (David Wagner and Valeria Giles, USGS)
Maryland Moths live adult images (Larry Line, Maryland)
United States distribution map (Montana State U., butterfliesandmoths.org)
Dallas Butterflies pinned adult image and foodplants (Dale Clark, Texas)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (U. of Alberta, using CBIF data)
Works Cited 1. | Moths of Western North America Powell and Opler. 2009. UC Press. | |
3. | Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company. | |
5. | The Moth Book W.J. Holland. 1968. Dover. | |
6. | Caterpillars of Eastern Forests David L. Wagner, Valerie Giles, Richard C. Reardon, Michael L. McManus. 1998. U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. | |
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm Additional contributions by cotinis, john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Tony-2, Maury Heiman, marcie oconnor, KenW, Randy Hardy, JoAnneRusso, BlockyLast updated 17 June, 2022 - 2:06pm |
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