The Tigers and Ermines
What are they?
This is a very diverse family of often brightly-colored moths. Many species have warning red and orange colors and are poisonous to potential predators. Once recognized as a family in their own right, Arctiids are now considered to be just part of a larger family, the Erebidae. In several species, the larvae become noticeable in the autumn when they wander widely in search of pupation sites; as many of them are very hairy, they are often known as 'woolly bears'.
Identification
A very diverse group, some species can be tricky to identify, particularly some of the lichen moths. It is sometimes necessary to consider leg or body color and hindwing patterning when identifying members of this group.
08045.1 Pale Lichen Moth Crambidia pallida
Length: 11mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Lichens.
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08046 Uniform Lichen Moth Crambidia uniformis
Length: 10-13mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Lichens.
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08067 Lead-colored Lichen Moth Cisthene plumbea
Length: 8-10mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Lichens.
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08072 Packard's Lichen Moth Cisthene packardii
Length: 8-10mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Lichens.
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08090 Painted Lichen Moth Hypoprepia fucosa
Length: 13-18mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Lichens & mosses.
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08098 Little White Lichen Moth Clemensia albata
Length: 9-13mm. Flight Time: March-October. Larval Food: Lichens.
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08107 Clymene Moth Haploa clymene
Length: 20-28mm. Flight Time: June-August Larval Food: A range of both woody and herbaceous plants.
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08118 Tawny Virbia Virbia opella
Length: 11-14mm. Flight Time: May-September Larval Food: A variety of low, herbaceous plants.
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08121 Orange Virbia Virbia aurantiaca
Length: 10-12mm. Flight Time: May-September Larval Food: A variety of low, herbaceous plants.
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08124 Unspotted Virbia Virbia immaculata
Length: Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Wide range of low-growing plants.
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08129 Isabelline Tiger Pyrrharctia isabella
Length: 23-33mm. Flight Time: April-August. Larval Food: Wide range of plants.
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08131 Saltmarsh Moth Estigmene acrea
Length: 29mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Wide range of plants.
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08134 Agreeable Ermine Spilosoma congrua
Length: 14-24mm. Flight Time: April-August. Larval Food: Wide range of low-growing plants.
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08137 Virginian Ermine Spilosoma virginica
Length: 16-26mm. Flight Time: March-November. Larval Food: Many kinds of low-growing plants.
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08140 Fall Webworm Hyphantria cunea
Length: 13-21mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Wide range of woody trees.
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08146 Giant Leopard Moth Hypercompe scribonia
Length: 33-35mm. Flight Time: May-June. Larval Food: Wide range of both woody trees and low herbaceous plants.
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08169 Harnessed Tiger Grammia phalerata
Length: 16-22mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Wide range of low herbaceous plants.
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08171 Nais Tiger Grammia nais
Length: 16-22mm. Flight Time: May-August. Larval Food: Wide range of low herbaceous plants.
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08197 Virgo Tiger Grammia virgo
Length: 24-37mm. Flight Time: June-August. Larval Food: Wide range of low-growing herbaceous plants.
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08199 Arge Tiger Grammia arge
Length: 19-25mm. Flight Time: April-October. Larval Food: Wide range of both woody and herbaceous plants.
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08203 Banded Tussock Halysidota tessellaris
Length: 20-23mm. Flight Time: May-October. Larval Food: A wide range of woody trees and shrubs.
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08230 Delicate Cycnia Cycnia tenera
Length: 16-22mm. Flight Time: May-October. Larval Food: Dogbanes and Milkweeds (Asclepiadaceae).
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08238 Milkweed Tussock Euchaetes egle
Length: 16-22mm. Flight Time: May-September. Larval Food: Milkweeds (Asclepias).
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08267 Yellow-collared Scape Moth Cisseps fulvicollis
Length: 15-19mm. Flight Time: May-October. Larval Food: Low plants, especially grasses, spike-rushes etc.
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