Tiger Moth

tiger moth, (family Arctiidae), any of about 11,000 species of moths (order Lepidoptera), the common name of which is derived from that of one of its most common genera, Grammia, which have dark wings with red or orange spots and white stripes, sometimes displayed in striking geometric patterns. Most adults have thick furry bodies and wings that may be almost solid white, or dark with white, orange, or green markings. When at rest the wings are folded rooflike over the body. Many have furry or hairy larvae (caterpillars) called woolly bears.

The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) is a serious pest whose caterpillars construct webs over the leaves at the end of branches. Sometimes large areas are covered with silken sheets. They pupate above ground in cocoons made of larval hairs and silk. These silken webs can be distinguished from those of the tent caterpillars, as the latter construct silken retreats in branch forks deep within the canopy.

A typical arctiid, the Isabella tiger moth (Isia isabella), emerges in spring and attains a wingspan of 37 to 50 mm (1.5 to 2 inches). Black spots mark its abdomen and yellow wings. The larva, known as the banded woolly bear, is brown in the middle and black at both ends. According to superstition the length of the black ends predicts the severity of the coming winter: the shorter the black ends, the milder the weather.

The bright warning coloration displayed by some arctiids is associated with distastefulness, thus protecting the moths from predation. The footman moth (subfamily Lithosiinae) is sometimes considered part of the family Arctiidae.