Reversed haploa

Reversed haploa is a broad-winged, somewhat flimsy-looking tiger moth. It occurs in the United States from Ohio to Minnesota south to North Carolina and Oklahoma, and in Ontario. Adults are found from late May to early July in woodlands, wetlands, fields, and gardens. Larvae (caterpillars) feed on the leaves of many woody plants including apple, ash, and elm.

Adults are ⅞″ to 1⅛″ (22 to 28 mm) long and have a wingspan of 1¾″ to 2″ (45 to 50 mm).

The wings are held over the body like a roof when at rest. The forewing is creamy white with bold, dark brown markings. The inner, outer, and leading (costal) margins are dark except at the wingtip. A long diagonal line extends from the middle of the costal margin to the point where the inner and outer margins meet (anal angle). Before the line, at the wing base, the white area is triangular. Beyond the line the white area is broken into four of five spots.

The head is orangish-yellow. The antennae on both the male and female are slender and thread-like.

The caterpillar is mostly black with a stripe down the middle (middorsal stripe), one on each upper side (subdorsal stripes), and one on each lower side that passes through the breathing pores (spiracular stripe). The middorsal stripe is mostly red to orange with small yellow or white areas at the margins of the abdominal segments. The subdorsal stripes are orange to yellow or white and are often constricted or broken in the middle of each abdominal segment. The spiracular stripes are mostly broken into a row of spots. Each abdominal segment has six large black warts with a cluster of relatively short, barbed. bristle-like structures (setae). The upper (dorsal) setae are black, those on the sides are whitish.

Total length: ⅞″ to 1⅛″ (22 to 28 mm)

Wingspan: 1¾″ to 2″ (45 to 50 mm)

Woodlands, wetlands, fields, and gardens

One generation per year: Late May to early July

The wings are held over the body like a roof when at rest.

Caterpillars overwinter and pupate in the spring.

Leaves of woody plants including apple, ash, and elm.