Ranchman's Tiger Moth

Platyprepia virginalis

''Platyprepia'' is a genus of tiger moths in the Erebidae family. It contains only one species, ''Platyprepia virginalis'', Ranchman's Tiger Moth, which is found in western North America, ranging from southern Monterrey Bay in California across Nevada and southern Utah to Colorado and north to southern British Columbia.
Ranchman's Tiger Moth caterpillar and here I was thinking this was a plain old wooly-bear, just with a bit of an odd hairdo...  Geotagged,Platyprepia virginalis,Ranchman's Tiger Moth,Spring,United States,moth week 2018

Appearance

The length of the forewings is 26-31 mm. The forewing are black with numerous light yellow spots. The hindwings are orange with broad irregular black bands. Adults are on wing in summer.
Ranchman's Tiger Moth  Butterfly,Geotagged,Platyprepia,Platyprepia virginalis,Spring,United States

Habitat

The habitat consists of wet lowland prairies, wet meadows, wet forests and in riparian zones along creeks in dry desert regions.

Reproduction

The larvae feed on a wide range of herbaceous plants. They are covered with dense long hairs. These hairs are orange at the head and tail and black in the central part.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyErebidae
GenusPlatyprepia
SpeciesP. virginalis