Introduction to the Rosy Maple Moth
The Rosy Maple Moth is found from the mid-western to eastern United States and uses red maple (Acer rubrum) as a host. This moth has three broods from roughly April to September. The life of the adult moth is short and they do not eat.
Table of Contents for Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda)
Taxonomy and Naming of the Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda)
Taxonomy
The Rosy Maple moth was named and described by Johan Christian Fabricius, a Danish zoologist in 1793. This moth is a member of the family Saturniidae, which is composed of the giant silkworm and royal moths. It is in the subfamily Caratocampinae.
Meaning of the Scientific and Common Names
Scientific Name
The genus name, Dryocampa, is a combination of two Greek words “dryo” and “campa”, which when combined mean oak caterpillar. The species name, rubicunda, comes from the Latin word “rubicundus”, meaning red.
Common Name
The common name is descriptive of the appearance of the moth and is host plant. There no alternative common names known.
Physical Description
- Color: The color of this moth is variable. The wings are white, but the amount of pink can be variable to none at all. The body is yellow, which identifies it from the similar Pink Prominent Moth that has a pink body (Bouseman and Sternburg 2002). The legs are furry looking.
- Wingspan: a little less 1.5 inches to a little more than 2 inches.
- Active Flying Time: May to August in the north and March to October in the south. There can be about 1 flight in the north (Wagner 1995) – 3 flights in the south (Bouseman and Sternburg 2002) depending on location.
Lifecycle of this Moth
- Eggs: The eggs are pale green at first, but become yellower with age and are one millimeter in diameter. They are laid on the undersides of the host leaves and take about 8-10 days to hatch (Howard and Chittenden 1909).
- Larvae (Caterpillar): The caterpillars are pale green with darker green stripes and have an orange head. The caterpillars are called a Green-striped Maple Worm. The caterpillars feed for about 1 month and four molts (Howard and Chittenden 1909). The caterpillars can be a food source for birds. They are also vulnerable to being attacked by parasites (Riotte and Piegler 1980).
- Chrysalis: Brown (Howard and Chittenden 1909) and is pupated in the ground without a cocoon (Bouseman and Sternburg 2002).
- Adult: The adults have a very short lifespan of about 1 week to 10 days and do not eat.
Habitat
This moth is found in mixed hardwood forests and other areas containing the host plant of red maple (Acer rubrum).
Range of Rosy Maple Moth (Dryocampa rubicunda) in the United States and Canada
This moth flies from the midwest to eastern North America. It is noted to be more common in the west and than in the east (Howard and Chittenden 1909) and also to be more common in the Pittsburgh (Holland 1916).
Host and Nectar Plants
This caterpillars of the rosy maple moth feed on maples (Acer spp.), particularly the red maple (Acer rubrum) and the silver maple (Acer saccharinum). If maple is not available it will feed on oaks (Quercus spp.), however it prefers maple. It has been noted for sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and beech (Fagus grandifolia) (Missouri Department of Conservation). The moth can be a pest in high numbers and can defoliate the host trees.
The adult of this moth does not eat due to the reduced mouth parts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there differences between the male and female?
Like some other moths, the female of the moth is much bigger than the male. The female antennae are thread-like versus the feathery ones of the male (Howard and Chittenden 1909).
Where can I get more information on this moth?
References
- Bouseman, John K. and James G. Sternburg. 2002. Field Guide to the Silkmoths of Illinois. (Champaign, IL: Illinois Natural Heritage Survey. Manual 10.
- Holland, W.J. 1916. The moth book; a popular guide to a knowledge of the moths of North America. (New York: Doubleday, Page & Co.)
- Howard, L.O. and F.H. Chittenden. 1909. The Green-striped Maple Worm (Anisota rubicunda). (Washington, DC: Department of Agriculture, no.110.
- Riotte, J.C.E. and Richard S. Piegler. 1980. A Revision of the American Genus Anisota (Saturnidae). Journal of the Research on the Lepidoptera 19(3): 101-180.
