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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Saturniidae) » Royal Moths (Ceratocampinae) » Dryocampa » Rosy Maple Moth - Hodges#7715 (Dryocampa rubicunda)

Species Dryocampa rubicunda - Rosy Maple Moth - Hodges#7715

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

pink & yellow fuzzy moth - Dryocampa rubicunda - male

pink & yellow fuzzy moth - Dryocampa rubicunda - Dryocampa rubicunda

Green-striped Mapleworm - Dryocampa rubicunda

Striped Caterpillar with Horns - Dryocampa rubicunda

Rosy maple moth - Dryocampa rubicunda - 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 Bombycoidea (Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths)

Family Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)

Subfamily Ceratocampinae (Royal Moths)

Genus Dryocampa

Species rubicunda (Rosy Maple Moth - Hodges#7715)

Hodges Number

7715

Other Common Names

Green-striped Mapleworm (caterpillar)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Dryocampa rubicunda (Fabricius, 1793)

Explanation of Names

Species name rubicunda is Latin for "somewhat ruddy". (Based on Internet searches.)

Size

Wingspan 32-55 mm

Larva to 50 mm

Identification

Distinctive pink and cream-colored moth. If it weren't so common, it would generate greater excitement--it is so beautiful. Light-colored individuals are called subspecies alba.

Yellow abberation:

Genitalia:

Caterpillar "green with pale blue-green to frosty stripes and prominent black horns issuing from T2; integument roughened. Black dorsal, subdorsal and subspiracular spines reduced, with longest found in subspiracular row. Head beige to orange-brown. frequently with subspiracular rosy patch beneath spiracle on A7 and A8."(1)

Range

Eastern North America, including most of Florida.

Habitat

Deciduous forests

Season

May-August in north (one brood), April-September in south (2-3 broods).

Food

Caterpillar hostplants are maples (Acer), sycamore (Platanus), beech (Fagus) or oaks, (Quercus).

Adults do not feed.

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid in clusters of 10-30 on foliage. Early instars are gregarious. Overwinters as pupa, below ground. Adults come to lights readily.

See Also

Hyparpax aurora (Pink Prominent)

. . . . . . . .

Schinia florida

. . . . . . . .

Other moths in the same family have similar horned larvae

Print References

Covell p. 46, plate 8 (2)

Himmelman, pp. 80-81, plate A-5 (3)

Milne, p. 773, fig. 572 (4)

Tuskes, pp. 80-82, plates 10--adult, 2--larva (5)

Wagner, p. 19--larva (6)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - range map, photos of living and pinned adults.

BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - species account with collection map and photos of pinned adults.

Moth Photographers Group - photo of living Dryocampa rubicunda and related species.

MIACY--essay and reflections by John Himmelman.

Butterflies and Moths of North America--Rosy maple moth

Works Cited

1.	Caterpillars of Eastern North America David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.

2.	Peterson Field Guides: Eastern Moths Charles V. Covell. 1984. Houghton Mifflin Company.

3.	Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard John Himmelman. 2002. Down East Books.

4.	National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders Lorus and Margery Milne. 1980. Knopf.

5.	The Wild Silk Moths of North America: A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada Paul M. Tuskes, James P. Tuttle, Michael M. Collins. 1996. Cornell University Press.

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 Cotinis on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Lynette Elliott, Tony-2, Maury Heiman, Ron M., Robert H. Biagi
Last updated 31 August, 2023 - 9:25pm

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