Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#539408
Unknown moth/butterfly.   - Apantesis phalerata

Unknown moth/butterfly. - Apantesis phalerata
Maplesville, Chilton County, Alabama, USA
April 21, 2011
Size: 1 inch
Attracted to porch light at night. The most colorful/flashiest moth I've ever seen. Closest thing I can find in ID books: Ornate Tiger Moth (not native to Alabama). Virgin Tiger Moth -- Did not see red hind wings.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Looks to me like either an Ap
Looks to me like either an Apantesis carolotta/nais/phalerata/vittata.

My best guess is vittata is least likely and phalerata most likely but somebody else who knows about these should comment.

Covell says that even experts have trouble and that copies from the Deep South can have different HW patterns than others and that there is much to study about them. I think the experts only recently discovered carlottas were not nais or phalerats.

I would guess phalerata or perhaps nais???

Not an expert ID
But what about something around Apantesis phalerata (Harnessed tiger moth)? It looks pretty similar to yours. It is apparently hard to get a 100% sure ID on this family though.