PEST PROFILES: MOTH AND BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS

---

Tussock Catterpillar Male Moth Adult Female Moth Tussock Moth Click on image to view larger.

Tussock moth Description: Larvae grow to 1-† inch long with a reddish orange head and a yellowish body with distinct tufted hairs. Pupae form within a grayish cocoon. The male adult is ash gray with a wingspan of 1 -1 † inch, while females are dirty white, wingless, hairy, and about á inch long. Damage: At first larvae skeletonize leaves, but soon they devour all but the main vein and petiole. There are at least 60 host species. More common hosts include maple, horse chestnut, birch, apple, sycamore, poplar, linden, elm, rose, fir, and larch. Life cycle: Most species overwinter as eggs and hatch between April and June. There are usually 2 generations a year. Whitemarked tussock moths overwinter as eggs.