The harnessed tiger moth is a striking and colorful member of the Erebidae family, renowned for its distinctive markings and vibrant hues. With its bold patterns resembling a tiger’s stripes and a unique harness-like design, this moth captivates every natural lover. Today, we’ll explore the intriguing world of this beautiful moth, exploring its life cycle, habitat, and remarkable adaptations.
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Genus: Apantesis
Harnessed tiger moth characteristic
The harnessed tiger moth is known for its striking appearance, which is often mistaken for a butterfly.
The moth’s body is black with reddish sides. Its front wings are mostly black with cream-colored lines extending from the base, which are less prominent in females. On the other hand, its hindwings are orangish-pink with prominent black patches, but in southern states, they can be more yellowish with minimal or no black edging.
With this look, the species is often mistaken for other types tiger moths, such as the parthenice tiger moth and the nais tiger moth, which have different vein patterns on their forewings.
The caterpillars are grayish-black, covered in yellowish hairs that resemble bristles, with a thin yellow or orange stripe extending from head to rear. These colors serve as a defense mechanism, signaling to predators that the moth has a terrible taste and is poisonous.
Habitat
The harnessed tiger moth is native to North America and has a wide geographical distribution. It can be found in parts of Canada, including Ontario and Quebec, and in the United States, from Maine to Florida, west to Texas, and north to South Dakota.
It’s typically active from April to September in the southern parts of its range, and from May to August in the northern areas. It inhabits gardens and open areas.
Diet
The larvae of these moths are active eaters and feed on a variety of herbaceous plants, including grasses, scrubs, and different types of plants like dandelions, clover, and plantains. They also consume the eggshells from which they emerge to obtain necessary proteins.
Adult harnessed tiger moths do not eat much. They live for a relatively short period, mostly spent mating. In rare cases, they may suck nectar.
Life cycle
Like other tiger moth species, the life cycle of these harnessed tiger moths has 4 stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
– Egg stage: The eggs are laid on the host plants, which include clover, corn, dandelion, and plantains.
– Larvae stage: The caterpillars, also known as woolly bears, primarily overwinter as full-grown caterpillars or in the pupal stage.
– Pupae stage: The pupae are formed from larval hairs, resulting in a fuzzy cocoon.
– Adult stage: After a few weeks, the adult moths emerge, with striking color patterns on their wings. The adults fly from early spring to late autumn in the southern states, with a shorter period in the colder northern climates. They do not eat and have a lifespan of approximately 5-10 days. They are attracted to lights at night and are often found in gardens and open areas.
