harnessed tiger moth

Harnessed tiger moth is a common, medium-sized moth. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains, in southern Quebec and Ontario Canada, and in eastern Mexico. The larvae feed on a wide variety of plants, including clover, corn, dandelion, plantain, prairie cordgrass, other grasses, and garden crops. Adults are active from May to August. They are found in a wide variety of habitats, including open woodlands, savannas, old fields, and gardens. They do not feed.

Adults are ⅝″ to ⅞″ (16 to 22 mm) in length and have a 1 3⁄16″ to 1⅝″ (30 to 42 mm) wingspan. The body is robust and hairy.

The antennae are black. On the male they are feathery, with extensions along both sides of the shaft (bipectinate).

There is usually a pair of black spots on the collar. The thorax is striped black and buff or creamy buff. The abdomen is orange to orangish pink with a large black spot on the upper side of each segment (middorsal).

The forewing is black with broad, yellowish-buff to creamy-buff (pale) lines. The discal spot, leading edge (costal margin), inner margin, and fringe are also pale. The veins within a pale line are also pale, but the rest of the veins on the forewing are black. The postmedial (PM) and subterminal (ST) bands are bold lines. The PM line is present only from the costa to the discal spot, and a line continues from the discal spot to the anal angle. On the female, the lines are reduced, showing more black on the wing.

The hindwing is reddish, at least on the inner (basal) part, and usually yellowish on the outer part. There is a variable series of black spots near the outer margin that is usually described as a fragmented terminal line.

Caterpillars in the genus Apantesis are difficult to identify to the species level.

Total length: ⅝″ to ⅞″ (16 to 22 mm)

Wingspan: 1 3⁄16″ to 1⅝″ (30 to 42 mm)

Nais tiger moth (Apantesis nais) is very similar. The collar usually has no black spots. The hindwing is usually entirely pale yellow, but sometimes there is a pale pink wash at the base. The black spots near the outer margin are larger, and the series is usually described as a wide black terminal band often fragmented into a row of spots. All of these markings on both nais and harnessed tiger moths are variable, and the two species are sometimes indistinguishable.

A wide variety of habitats, including open woodlands, savannas, old fields, and gardens

One generation per year: May to August

The wings are held over the body like a roof when at rest. When threatened, the wings are spread, exposing the colorful hindwings and warning predators that they are unpalatable.

A wide variety of plants, including clover, corn, dandelion, plantain, prairie cordgrass, grasses, and garden crops

Adults do not feed.

Sources

4, 21, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Family
In 2011 the family Arctiidae (tiger moths and lichen moths) was transferred to the family Erebidae mostly intact but demoted to a subfamily. The former subfamilies are now tribes, the former tribes now subtribes.

I found a little virgin tiger moth in Ohio

Hello,
I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but the internet told me to do this when I searched “i found a little virgin tiger moths in ohio, what should i do”.

I found the moth in Kent, Ohio. (portage county) I knew I had to report it when I saw online that it wasn’t native to Ohio. So, I hope this helps someone.

Rye Gator
9/11/2024

Location: Kent, Ohio

Hello,
I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but the internet told me to do this when I searched “i found a little virgin tiger moths in ohio, what should i do”.

I found the moth in Kent, Ohio. (portage county) I knew I had to report it when I saw online that it wasn’t native to Ohio. So, I hope this helps someone.

John Valo
9/25/2024

This is the very similar harnessed tiger moth. It is very common in Ohio, and it is uncommon but present in Minnesota.