Page 562 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World
P. 562
MOTH CATERPILLARS
FAMILY Erebidae
DISTRIBUTION From southern Ontario, Canada, south through United States
to Florida, and west to the Midwest, Oklahoma, and Texas
HABITAT Meadows and forest edges as well as disturbed areas
HOST PLANTS Wide range of frequently toxic plants, from dandelion
(Taraxacum spp.) to willow (Salix spp.)
NOTE Woolly-bear caterpillar frequently found crawling on
the ground
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common
ADULT WINGSPAN
3 in (76 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3⅛ in (80 mm)
HYPERCOMPE SCRIBONIA
GIANT LEOPARD MOTH
560
(STOLL, 1790)
The woolly-bear caterpillars of the Giant Leopard Moth eat
large volumes of leaves as they mature, and are often seen
crawling in search of a suitable food source. Their characteristic
black spines, while probably a good defense against birds, are
harmless to humans. Unlike many other caterpillars, the larvae
easily switch between host plant species, and sometimes search
out speci c plants that are toxic in order to self-medicate against
parasitoids. Adults, too, are chemically defended. Before
The Giant Leopard Moth caterpillar, while pupation, the caterpillar makes a loose black cocoon.
initially mostly orange with wide, black stripes,
becomes black with thin, red stripes toward
later instars, hidden by black, dense, thick The Giant Leopard Moth is part of a large subfamily (Arctiinae)
spines. When it rolls into a ball, sensing danger,
it exposes red, circular stripes between its of tiger moths with more than 10,000 species, which, until
segments—an aposematic warning to predators. recently, was considered its own family. Tiger moths are
The red stripes can also be seen when the
caterpillar is crawling, but not when it is characteristically colorful, which indicates their distastefulness.
resting on its host plant.
Hypercompe scribonia is no exception, being white with dark,
sometimes shiny blue spots, and occasionally orange spots on
the shiny blue abdomen. When disturbed, it falls to the ground
and rolls its abdomen, exposing its aposematic colors.
Actual size
