Page 586 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Erebidae
DISTRIBUTION North America, from Ontario to Nova Scotia, south to Florida,
and west to Texas
HABITAT Barrens, pocosins, woodlands, and forests
HOST PLANTS White and evergreen oak (Quercus spp.), blueberry (Vaccinium
spp.), and spruce (Picea spp.)
NOTE Caterpillar that, if disturbed, hurls itself from the host plant
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but uncommon

ADULT WINGSPAN
1⅜–1 ⁄ in (35–43 mm)

CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2 in (50 mm)
ZALE AERUGINOSA
GREEN-DUSTED ZALE MOTH
584
(GUENÉE, 1852)

Green-dusted Zale Moth caterpillars are very active in early
instars and may wander some distance before feeding, usually on
young leaves. In later instars, older leaves and spruce needles are
consumed. The nontoxic plant diet of these caterpillars makes
them prey for birds and other natural enemies. While they are
cryptically colored and rest pressed against the host plant stem,
when disturbed they may “jump” o their perch, which o ers

some additional protection against predators and parasitoids.
The pupae overwinter in leaf litter. There are two generations
a year in the south of the range but a single generation in the

north. Adults y from January to October.

The Green-dusted Zale moth caterpillar has Caterpillars of the genus Zale resemble those of underwing
a long, slender body, tapering anteriorly and
posteriorly. The front pairs of prolegs are small, moths in the genus Catocala. However, Zale adults are less
and the last prolegs extend behind the body.
The caterpillar’s washed-out colors of brown, spectacular than Catocala underwing moths and more subdued
beige, whitish, and cream blend to resemble tree in color. The species’ name, aeruginosa, derives from the Latin
bark. There is a vague, dark brown, spiracular

stripe. The ventral surface is whitish, and the for “copper rust,” re ecting the bluish-green colors sprinkled
head is white with a pattern of ne, brown dots on the moth’s black forewings. The most recent revision of the
and stripes. The eighth abdominal segment is
squared and bears skin aps that look like leaf genus Zale lists 39 species in North America north of Mexico,
scars. A few primary setae are thin, short, and
hardly visible, except for their white bases. most of which feed on large trees.

Actual size