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Species Symmerista leucitys - Orange-humped Mapleworm - Hodges#7953

A beautiful OHM Cat - Symmerista leucitys early instar orange-humped mapleworm - Symmerista leucitys Caterpillar - Symmerista leucitys Symmerista leucitys - Orange-humped Mapleworm - Hodges#7953 - Symmerista leucitys - male  Orange-humped Mapleworm - Hodges#7953 - Symmerista leucitys  Orange-humped Mapleworm - Hodges#7953 - Symmerista leucitys Symmerista leucitys Symmerista leucitys
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 Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Notodontidae (Prominent Moths)
Subfamily Nystaleinae
Genus Symmerista
Species leucitys (Orange-humped Mapleworm - Hodges#7953)
Hodges Number
7953
Identification

comparison of albifrons, canicosta and leucitys - 8th sternite

comparison of genitalia dissection - in albifrons, apex of the large bilobed process greatly exceeds the apex of the small simple process whereas in leucitys the two apexes are subequal
Habitat
Hardwood forests.
Food
It is recorded from a variety of deciduous tree hosts. It seems to prefer sugar maple and beech throughout most of its range.
Remarks
The larva shown here, and the larvae here are offspring of the adult pictured here, identified as S. leucitys via genitalia examination by Les Ferge of Wisconsin. BugGuide currently lacks information on how photos of leucitys larvae and/or adults might be distinguishable from other species of Symmerista. Any help would be greatly appreciated.(R Mc)
A native species. It seldom causes severe defoliaton but some years there are outbreaks of this species combined with several other species of moths and sawflies. These outbreaks die out after two or three years without causing permanent damage to the forest.