Moth Identification - Ask Extension
Found this beautiful moth on my outside table, unfortunately the moth was almost dead. I have tried to research the type of moth, but as close as I c...
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Moth Identification #643880
Asked May 31, 2020, 4:40 PM EDT
Found this beautiful moth on my outside table, unfortunately the moth was almost dead. I have tried to research the type of moth, but as close as I could come was a "Pale Beauty". I just couldn't find a moth that had the "red" on the underside near the front legs. I would appreciate your assistance. Thank you.
Lane County Oregon
Expert Response
Oooh...how beautiful!
It is one of the tiger moths (Family: Erebidae, Subfamily: Arctiinae). The only white one with very obviously red bases to the front legs is the vestal tiger moth, Spilosoma vestalis. Here is a similar specimen for comparison...
The vestal tiger moth is common in wet forests west of the Cascades, extending to moist forests in the Blue Mountains. Their larvae feed on many kinds of plants, but they particularly favor leaves of hardwood trees such as red alder (Alnus rubra) and Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana). There is a single generation each year, and adults are mainly found in May and June .
Enjoy!
Thank you very much !!
