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Photo#1156342
White-marked Tussock Moth larva, dorsal - Orgyia leucostigma - female

White-marked Tussock Moth larva, dorsal - Orgyia leucostigma - Female
Ames - Tullamore, Story County, Iowa, USA
September 2, 2005
This rearing occurred in 2005 when I was first learning about insects. Records are spotty but I think I’ve pieced them together correctly.
9/2/2005 collected larva
9/18/2005 female emerged. I thought she was deformed so put the rearing container on the front porch to watch. Started noticing moths flying everywhere around the front porch, crazy, couldn’t open the front door to the house without them flying in
9/20/05 Ah Ha, finally looked up information on this species and the female was not deformed, put 2 males into container with her
9/22/05 many males dead or dying, eggs laid
9/23/05 female still alive
5/15/06 finally took photos of cocoon & eggs

2008 a second try at rearing and I did take a female photo
2015 finally saw 2 females in the wild. The easy one was on the side of the house, the hard one was on the trunk of a tree.

Images of this individual: tag all
White-marked Tussock Moth larva, dorsal - Orgyia leucostigma - female White-marked Tussock Moth larva, lateral - Orgyia leucostigma - female White-marked Tussock Moth(s) - Orgyia leucostigma - male - female White-marked Tussock Moth, spent pupa & cocoon - Orgyia leucostigma White-marked Tussock Moth, spent pupa, cocoon & eggs - Orgyia leucostigma White-marked Tussock Moth, spent pupa &cocoon  - Orgyia leucostigma