Early Polypogon (Polypogon cruralis)

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Holometabola
Order	Lepidoptera
Superfamily	Noctuoidea
Family	Erebidae
Subfamily	Herminiinae
Genus	Polypogon

Scientific Name

Polypogon cruralis

Common Name

Early Zanclognatha moth

Maier, C.T.; Lemmon, C.R.; Fengler, J.M.; Schweitzer, D.F.; Reardon, R.C.; Caterpillars on the Foliage of Conifers in the Northeastern United States. Morgantown, WV. USDA Forest Service. Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. FHTET-2004-01. March 2004. 151 p.

Description

Grayish body with dull yellow speckles, dull red reticulation, and dorsal rows of small dark spots. Light brown head with darker brown reticulation and sometimes with small spots. Dorsum and lower half of abdomen with small, dark brown spots; yellowish orange band at posterior margin of segments contrasts with ground color. Up to 25 mm.

Food

Balsam fir, eastern hemlock, spruces, and other conifers.

Life Cycle

One generation in New England. Mature caterpillar overwinters in chamber in soil or debris. Mature caterpillar present on tree in September and October.

Comments

We have reared this caterpillar from the second to the last instar on the live needles of eastern hemlock. Wagner et al. (2001) and others have suggested that it eats mainly lichens, dead leaves, or other organic matter. Until recently, this species was known as Zanclognatha cruralis.