Estigmene acrea
The salt marsh moth or acrea moth (Estigmene acrea) is a North American moth. It is in the family Arctiidae. The caterpillar is known as the 'salt marsh caterpillar'.
| Salt marsh moth | |
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| Genus: | Estigmene
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| Binomial name | |
| Estigmene acrea | |
Description
The head and thorax are white. The abdomen is yellow-orange with a row of black spots. The fore wing (the top wing) is white with a variable amount of black spots (some individuals do not have these spots). The hind wing (the bottom wing) is yellow-orange in males. It is white in females. Both sexes have 3-4 black spots or blotches on their hind wings. The wingspan ranges from 4.5 to 6.8 cm.[1]
Flight
This moth may be seen from May to August.[1] It is seen all year in southern Florida and southern Texas.[2]
Life cycle
The eggs are a yellowish color. They are laid in clusters on the host plant leaves. The Salt Marsh Caterpillar is highly variable in color. It ranges from pale yellow to dark brownish-black. It has many soft hairs. The hairs are longer towards the end of the body. The thoracic and abdominal segments have a few rows of either orange or black warts. The chrysalis hibernates in a cocoon.[2]
Host plants
Here is a list of host plants that the salt marsh caterpillar feeds on:
- Cabbage
- Cotton
- Juglans sp. - walnut
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Nicotiana tabacum - Tobacco
- Pisum sativum - Pea
- Solanum tuberosum - Potato
- Trifolium sp. - clover
- Zea mays - Corn[1][2]
Estigmene Acrea Media
Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea), Larva in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005. Moths of Eastern North America. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, VA. ISBN 1-884549-21-7
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 David L. Wagner 2005. Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. ISBN 0-691-12144-3