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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Erebidae » Tussock Moths (Lymantriinae) » Orgyiini » Gynaephora » Ross' Tussock Moth - Hodges#8290 (Gynaephora rossii)
Photo#726755
Caterpillar in Becharof NWR - Gynaephora rossii
Copyright © 2012 Julia Pinnix

Caterpillar in Becharof NWR - Gynaephora rossii
south of King Salmon; Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, Lake and Peninsula Borough County, Alaska, USA
September 12, 2012
Size: 4 cm
Huge numbers of these caterpillars were found stripping the leaves from willow bushes that were still alive (many were dead). Cats also found on other tundra vegetation. Range in size was 2-5 cm, with most about 4 cm. Best guess was tiger moth of some kind? The huge numbers and dead/dying willow made us wonder if what we were seeing was normal for this species. By the 2nd week of Sept., freezing is very likely-- are these cats going to overwinter? What is their life cycle like? ARE these tiger moths??

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Caterpillar in Becharof NWR - Gynaephora rossii Caterpillar in Becharof NWR - Gynaephora rossii
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Contributed by Julia Pinnix on 29 November, 2012 - 12:34pm
Last updated 6 February, 2019 - 8:12am

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… David J. Ferguson, 1 December, 2012 - 10:46am login or register to post comments

Arctiinae
Yes, one of the tiger moths. There's another post floating around somewhere w/ caterpillars very similar to this from the Yukon, unfortunately, I have no idea what species these are. My guess would be they overwinter like most of the other tiger moth cats.
… LaciP, 29 November, 2012 - 1:39pm login or register to post comments

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