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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (Lasiocampoidea) » Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (Lasiocampidae) » Poecilocampinae » Tolype

Genus Tolype

Classification · Pronunciation · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Unknown caterpillar with lateral fringe - Tolype velleda bizarre caterpillar - Tolype Tolype velleda - male Small Tolype - Tolype laricis What species of Tolype? - Tolype Tolype velleda? - Tolype Distinct Tolype Moth - Tolype distincta Tolype distincta - Tolype - male
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 Lasiocampoidea (Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths)
Family Lasiocampidae (Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths)
Subfamily Poecilocampinae
Genus Tolype
Pronunciation
toe-LIP-EE (?)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Tolype Hübner, 1820
Explanation of Names
From Greek tolype (τολυπη), "a ball of wool or yarn, lump" (Internet searches). Appears related to Greek root tolyp meaning "wind up".
Compare Tolypeutes, a genus of armadillos, known for curling into a ball.
Numbers
Eleven Tolype species are found the America north of Mexico. (1)(2)
Size
wingspan 26-58 mm
Identification
Adult: Two widespread eastern species are Small Tolype (T. notialis) and Large Tolype (T. velleda). The postmedian line on the forewing is more wavy in T. notialis, less wavy in T. velleda. Also, T. notialis is usually a darker gray, and T. velleda a paler gray. Compare T. velleda/T. notialis:

However, there is considerable variation among individuals and between the sexes of all Tolype species, which complicates identification of species based on color (see Moth Photographers Group)
Tolype minta is whitish with gray lines, is southern, found from South Carolina to Florida.
T. laricis has a more northern distribution, the male is blackish, and the female is similar to the Large Tolype (see Internet refernces).
Range
represented througout United States and southern Canada; T. laricis is the most widespread species, occurring coast to coast in southern Canada and northern United States
Habitat
depending on species, deciduous, mixed, or coniferous forests; adults are nocturnal and come to light
Season
varies according to species; adults fly from April to December in the south; mostly August and September in the north
Food
larvae of T. velleda feed on leaves of hardwood trees
larvae of several other Tolype species feed on conifers
Life Cycle
up to three generations per year in the south; one generation in the north
Print References
Covell, p. 53, plate 8 (3)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group
live larva image of T. laricis (Chris Maier, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, forestryimages.org)
distribution in Canada of 4 species list of provinces for each species (CBIF)
Works Cited
1.The Moths of America North of Mexico. Fascicle 20.1. Mimallonoidea (Mimallonidae) and Bombycoidea.....
J. G. Franclemont. 1973. E.W. Classey Ltd. & R.B.D. Publications Inc.
2.North American Moth Photographers Group
3.Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths
Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Contributed by Cotinis on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Chuck Entz, Maury Heiman, Edward Ruden, Robert H. Biagi, Steve Morris
Last updated 21 April, 2024 - 12:45pm

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