| Banded Tussock Moth | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Arctiidae |
| Genus: | Halysidota |
| Species: | H. tessellaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Halysidota tessellaris (J.E. Smith, 1797) |
|
Halysidota tessellaris, the Banded Tussock Moth, Tessellated Halisidota, or Pale Tiger Moth is a moth in the family Arctiidae. Like most species in this family, it has chemical defenses it acquires from its host plants, in this case, alkaloids (Weller et al., 1999, Hristov and Conner 2005), at least in the adult. The brazen behaviour of the larvae also suggests chemical protection in this stage, although they have not been analyzed for alkaloid content.
Contents |
From southern Canada, and south to Texas and central Florida in North America (Wagner 2005).
One generation per year in the north, two or more in the south (Wagner 2005).
Eggs are laid in masses on the undersides of leaves (Rose and Lindquist, 1982).
Caterpillars are covered all over in long hairlike setae, in tufts. These vary in colour from yellowish and orange to dark gray. Extra long 'hair pencils' of white, black, and/or orange occur at both the front and rear of the caterpillar. The head capsule is bright orange. In the north, mature caterpillars are found from July onwards (Wagner 2005). Caterpillars frequently rest on the upper surface of leaves, and though not gregarious, are very conspicuous (Wagner 2005). Grows to a length of 35 mm.
The gray cocoon is laced with 'hairs' from the larvae, and overwinters (Wagner, 2005).
Wings are yellowish-white. The forewings have bands of beige edged in faint black across them. The body is 'hairy' and yellow. The thorax has blue-green lines on the upper sides. Adults are attracted to decaying plants that have Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (Krasnof and Dussourd, 1989). They regurgitate on them and then drink the fluids to acquire these defensive chemicals.
Alder, ash. birch, blueberry, chestnut, elm, grape, hackberry, hazel, oak, walnut, willow, and many others (Wagner, 2005). No serious injury to trees has been reported for this late season feeder (Rose and Lindquist, 1982).