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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Silkworm, Sphinx, and Royal Moths (Bombycoidea) » American Silkworm Moths (Apatelodidae) » Apatelodinae » Apatelodes » Spotted Apatelodes - Hodges#7663 (Apatelodes torrefacta)

Species Apatelodes torrefacta - Spotted Apatelodes - Hodges#7663

Classification · Hodges Number · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Spotted Apatelodes - Hodges #7663 (Apatelodes torrefacta) - Apatelodes torrefacta - male Small Sphinx Twin Spotted? - Apatelodes torrefacta Common name? - Apatelodes torrefacta The Cousin It of the Bug World - Apatelodes torrefacta Spotted Apatelodes - Apatelodes torrefacta White Caterpillar - Apatelodes torrefacta Moth to porch light - Apatelodes torrefacta Big yellow caterpillar - Apatelodes torrefacta
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 Apatelodidae (American Silkworm Moths)
Subfamily Apatelodinae
Genus Apatelodes
Species torrefacta (Spotted Apatelodes - Hodges#7663)
Hodges Number
7663
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Apatelodes torrefacta (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Phalaena torrefacta Smith, 1797
Size
Wingspan 32-46 mm
Identification
Adult: forewing gray with brown lines and shading; note dark patch near base of forewing, thin scalloped postmedial line, and small pale spot near apex; in some postures, holds wings and tail up in the manner of some sphinx moths; hindwing reddish-brown.
Ventral view


Larva: body clothed with long yellow, white, or gray hairs; long black, or orange and black, medial lashes on dorsum of second and third thoracic - and eighth abdominal - segments; black chevrons above spiracles; ends of prolegs red
[adapted from description by Wagner and Giles]
Young larvae are entirely white long-haired with white to pinkish legs to about 20 mm long.
Mature larvae to 45 mm. long
Range
Maine and southern Ontario to Florida, west to Texas, north to Wisconsin. (1), (2), (3), (4)
Habitat
Deciduous forests and adjacent areas
Season
Adults are most common from May to September. (5)
Heppner (2003) reported adults from March to August in Florida. (4)
Larvae from June-September
Food
Larvae feed on ash (Fraxinus), cherry (Prunus), maple (Acer), oak (Quercus).
Heppner (2003) reported a long list of larval host plants. (4)
Tuliptree, Redbud and Spiraea.
Life Cycle
Two generations per year in the south; one in the north.
Overwinter as pupa on the ground(6)

Life Cycle images:
mated pair; larva; larva; larva detail; pupa; adult
Remarks
An odd-looking species, easily mistaken for a sphinx moth.
Print References
Covell, p. 56, plate 8 #19 (7)
Franclemont, J.G., 1973. The Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 20.1, p. 18; pl. 3.11-13. (8)
Smith, 1797. in Smith & Abbot Nat. Hist. Lepid. Ins. Georgia 2: 151.
Wagner, p. 24--caterpillar (9)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group (5)
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)
iNaturalist
Works Cited
1.Checklist of the Lepidoptera of Florida
2.South Carolina Moth Species
3.Moths of Dallas County, Texas
4.Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas: Lepidoptera of Florida
J.B. Heppner. 2003. Florida Department of Agriculture 17(1): 1-670.
5.North American Moth Photographers Group
6.Eastern Forest Insects
Whiteford L. Baker. 1972. U.S. Department of Agriculture · Forest Service.
7.Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America
Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005.
8.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.
9.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 12 July, 2004 - 2:54pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Maury Heiman, marcie oconnor, metrioptera, Ken Childs, Marci Hess, lee_penner
Last updated 22 August, 2023 - 1:26pm

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