Yellow-collared scape moth

Yellow-collared scape moth is a small to medium-sized, day flying, wasp-mimic, tiger moth. It occurs across North America from east coast to the west coast and from Texas to the Northwest Territories.

Adults are ⅝″ to ¾″ (16 to 20 mm) in length and have a 1⅛″ to 1 7 ⁄16″ (29 to 37 mm) wingspan. They look superficially similar to the closely related Virginia ctenucha but are smaller and narrower.

The head is black. The antennae are black and feather-like, with branches only on one side of most segments. The basal segment (scape) is long.

The thorax is black or dark brown. There are brightly colored scales on the first section of the thorax (prothorax) forming a broad collar that extends across the upper (dorsal) surface and down the sides. The scales are orange on most individuals, orangish-yellow or yellow on others.

The abdomen is black and often has a metallic blue iridescence. The forewings are dark brown to blackish-brown, long, and narrow. The hindwings are smaller, black around the edges, grayish-white and translucent with black veins in the middle. They are hidden when the moth is perched.

The caterpillar is up to 1 3 ⁄16″ (3 cm) long. The thorax and abdomen are yellow with a black stripe down the middle (middorsal), a broad black stripe on each side, and a narrow brownish-orange stripe in the subdorsal area and in the subspiracular area. The head is pale brownish-orange, and shiny. On most caterpillars,there is a dark line across the face or dark markings around the eyes. The body is mostly hidden beneath dense tufts of long, stiff, dirty white hairs (seta). The setae rise from circular warts that are not colored. The warts on the second and third thoracic segment (T2 and T3) and on the ninth abdominal segment (A9) are enlarged and oval. The front and back parts of the body also have longer darker hairs. The abdominal leg-like structures (prolegs) are pale.

Total length: ⅝″ to ¾″ (16 to 20 mm)

Wingspan: 1⅛″ to 1 7 ⁄16″ (29 to 37 mm)

Wet meadows and prairies, old fields

Probably two generations; June to September

Adults are active during the day. They are attracted to ultraviolet light. Caterpillars feed close to the ground at night and are rarely seen.

The cocoon is formed mostly from body hairs.

Grasses and sedges

Nectar of flowers, especially goldenrods