Lophocampa maculata
Encyclopedia
The Spotted Tussock Moth, Mottled Tiger or Spotted Halisidota (Lophocampa maculata) is a moth
of the Arctiidae
family. It is found across southern Canada
, the western parts of the United States
, south in Appalachians to South Carolina
and Kentucky
.
The wingspan
is 35-45 mm. The moth flies from May to July. There is one generation per year.
The larvae feed on the leaves of poplar and willow, but also feed on alder, basswood, birch, maple and oak.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Arctiidae
Arctiidae
Arctiidae is a large and diverse family of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species. This family includes the groups commonly known as tiger moths , which usually have bright colours, footmen , lichen moths and wasp moths...
family. It is found across southern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the western parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, south in Appalachians to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 35-45 mm. The moth flies from May to July. There is one generation per year.
The larvae feed on the leaves of poplar and willow, but also feed on alder, basswood, birch, maple and oak.
Subspecies
- Lophocampa maculata maculata
- Lophocampa maculata agassizii (California, British Columbia)
- Lophocampa maculata texana (Texas)