Banded Tussock Moth - Halysidota tessellaris
Total length: ~25 mm. Pale pinkish tan forewing with irregular pattern of slightly darker bands. Thorax has blue and yellow dorsal stripes. Orange, fuzzy abdomen.
Habitat: Attracted to a 395 nm LED light in a rural area.
"Halysidota tessellaris", also called the banded tussock moth, is in Erebidae. Like many related species, it has chemical defenses it acquires from its host plants, in this case, alkaloids, at least in adults. Larval brazen behaviours suggest that they are chemically protected; they have not been analyzed for alkaloid content.
Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
By Christine Young
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Uploaded Jul 21, 2019. Captured Jul 20, 2019 22:39 in 5 East St, New Milford, CT 06776, USA.
