Latin Etymology: Euchaetes ("well bristled") egle (?)
Juvenile Milkweed Tussock Moth (Euchaetes egle) at St Charles, Illinois, USA - August 2024
Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: g/kg / Length: 3.2cm / Wingspan: 35-43mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated
A fairly subdued moth with a rather flamboyant caterpillar form - as caterpillars, they feed on toxic chemicals such as milkweeds to make the adult forms toxic to predators such as bats. Milkweeds produce chemicals to deter predators but these moths have learned to first skeletonise the leaves then, when large enough, sever the vessels that bring the noxious substance.
Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Erebidae
Genus: Euchaetes
SUBSPECIES: ?
- Sighting Locations -
UNITED STATES - Widely distributed species in the lower 48
- CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Campton, Illinois
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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