White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma intermedia)

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Superorder	Holometabola
Order	Lepidoptera
Superfamily	Noctuoidea
Family	Erebidae
Subfamily	Lymantriinae
Tribe	Orgyiini
Genus	Orgyia
Species	Orgyia leucostigma

Scientific Name

Orgyia leucostigma intermedia

Common Name

whitemarked tussock 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

Hairy, blackish body with compact tufts of long, black plumed hairs on T1 and A8, with white dorsal abdominal tufts, and with colored stripes and spots. Reddish head and prothoracic shield; compact tuft of hairs before spiracle on T1 and middorsally on A8. Broad, black middorsal stripe; large, white dorsal hair tuft on A1 to A4; reddish dorsal gland on A6 and A7. Yellowish subdorsal stripe, broader after dorsal tufts; light gray supraspiracular and subspiracular hair tufts on partly or wholly yellow tubercles; yellowish subspiracular stripe reduced to yellow spots on abdomen. Up to 35 mm.

Food

Many woody plants, including balsam fir, eastern hemlock, eastern larch, and spruces.

Life Cycle

Apparently two generations. Egg overwinters in egg mass usually on empty female cocoon. Mature caterpillar present from May to September, with generations well separated at any one place.

Comments

During outbreaks, this caterpillar has damaged balsam fir and other conifers in plantations.