PEST PROFILES: MOTH AND BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

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Larva Adult Click on image to view larger.

Io moth Description: Io moth, also known as the Peacock moth, are one of the smaller North American silk moths with a wingspan of 2-3 inches. The female is noticeably larger than the male and its forewing is a purple-brown color. The male forewings are mostly yellow. Both sexes have a beautifully colored underwing marked by a black dot. The larva is green with maroon stripes edged with white along each side of the body and is covered with stiff spikes that are quite irritating to the skin when touched, and very painful if they penetrate your skin. They can grow to be about 2 inches long. Damage: Larvae feed on leaves of many shrubs and bushes, such as hollies. Larvae should not be handled with bare hands! Life cycle: Larvae feed on cherry, willow, elm, boxelder, aspen, maple. The winter is spent in a cocoon. Adults emerge in late spring or early summer and oviposit eggs on host plant leaves. Larvae develop through several instars over a period of several weeks before they pupate.