Orgyia antiqua

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Rusty tussock moth
Orgyia antiqua (35220412814).jpg
Orgyia antiqua 20050816 365 part.jpg
male imago and caterpillar
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Genus: Orgyia
Species:
O. antiqua
Binomial name
Orgyia antiqua
Synonyms
  • Notolophus antiquaLinnaeus [1]
  • Orgyia confinis(Grum-Grshimailo, 1891)
  • Orgyia gonostigma(Scopoli, 1763)
  • Orgyia recens(Hübner, 1819)
  • Phalaena antiquaLinnaeus, 1758
  • Phalaena paradoxa(Retzius, 1783)

Orgyia antiqua, the rusty tussock moth or vapourer, [2] is a moth in the family Erebidae.

Distribution and status

O. antiqua is native to Europe, but now has a transcontinental distribution in the Palaearctic and the Nearctic regions. [3] The species is not on the IUCN (2007) Red List; [4] and in the UK is considered a common resident. [5]

Habitat

In the UK, O. antiqua may be encountered in a variety of shrub-based habitats, including gardens, parks, open woodland, fens, hedgerows, heaths. and moors. [5]

Description

A striking dimorphism exists between the male and the female moths of this species. The male moth typically has orange- to red-brown (ochreous red and dark brown) wings; each fore wing has a white comma-shaped (tornal) spot. It has marked plumose (short, bipectinate) antennae. The wingspan measures between 35 and 38 mm. The female moth has vestigial wings and is flightless; it is light grey-brown (ochreous grey), has "shortly bipectinate" antennae, and a swollen abdomen. [6] [5] The compound eyes of the two sexes differ not only with regard to their size, number of facets and internal organization and ultrastructure, but also with regard to their sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation [7] [8] The hairy caterpillar is spectacular, with "humps", "horns", and a "tail" in a combination of dark grey, red, and yellow.

Lifecycle

Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Britishentomologyvolume5Plate378.jpg
Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology
Tussock moth caterpillar.jpg
Late instar caterpillar showing the four clumps of dorsal tussock hairs
Orgyia antiqua - The Vapourer (pupa) - Kistekhvost obyknovennyi (kukolka) (39980874245).jpg
The pupa
Orgyia antiqua female1.jpg
The flightless female clings to her cocoon during her brief adult life
72.017 BF2026 The Vapourer, Orgyia antiqua, mating (3123241116).jpg
Mating pair (male at left), illustrating their stark sexual dimorphism

Egg

Several hundred eggs are laid on the outside of the female's empty cocoon, usually attached to a host plant or something close by (e.g. fence, wall). [5] The species overwinters in the egg stage. Each brownish egg is rounded, somewhat flattened top and bottom. A small darker depression is seen in the upperside. [6]

Caterpillar

The larvae hatch early in the spring, as soon as foliage starts to appear. [6] They are easily recognized by their horn-like tufts of hair-like setae. Four toothbrush-like tufts occur along the back, and hair pencils project from the sides at the front and at the back. The body is dark grey to black, and red tubercules are along the sides and back.

They have defensive glands at the back, and wipe their setae against them to charge them with toxins. [9] They grow to about 30–40 mm, females being considerably larger than males. [6] In the UK, caterpillars can be found between May and early September. [5]

The caterpillar is a minor forest pest in North America, [3] and may become a pest in cities in the UK. [10] [6]

Pupa

The pupa forms in a crevice (e.g. in tree bark or fence) inside a silk cocoon. It is glossy black and hairy. [6]

Imago

The male flies in a zigzag pattern—often high up in search of females—and is active during the day or at night. Males occasionally come to light. [5] In New Brunswick, adult males are attracted to pheromone traps set in commercial forests for white-marked tussock moth (O. leucostigma). [3]

The female is flightless, spending her brief life attached to her cocoon. The female attracts other males via release of a pheromone, the males find the female via the concentration gradient of the released pheromone. The female mates and lays her grey-yellow eggs in large numbers on her fine-meshed cocoon.

The adult moths do not feed, so they only live for a short time. The two (sometimes three) generations fly from May till October; in North America, only one generation occurs in a year. [9] In the UK, one protracted generation, from July to October in the south, and from September to October in the north, is believed to happen. [6] [5]

The males are diurnal, flying during the day, but are occasionally attracted to light. [6]

Host plants

Caterpillars are polyphagous and feed on a wide range of deciduous trees and shrubs, such as birch ( Betula ), Crataegus , lime (Tilia), Prunus , Quercus , Rubus , Salix , Tamarix , Vaccinium , Aeonium haworthii [10] [9] or Delonix regia .

In Scotland, the species is almost always found on birch, [6] but has also been recorded damaging Sitka spruce. [11]

Illustrations

Related Research Articles

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The Lymantriinae are a subfamily of moths of the family Erebidae. The taxon was erected by George Hampson in 1893.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown-tail moth</span> Species of moth

The brown-tail moth is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is native to Europe, neighboring countries in Asia, and the north coast of Africa. Descriptions of outbreaks, i.e., large population increases of several years duration, have been reported as far back as the 1500s. The life cycle of the moth is atypical, in that it spends approximately nine months as larvae (caterpillars), leaving about one month each for pupae, imagos and eggs. Larvae (caterpillars) are covered in hairs. Two red spots on the back, toward the tail, distinguish these species from other similarly hairy moth larvae. The winged adults have white wings and a hairy white body with a tuft of brown hair at the tip of the abdomen. Females lay one egg cluster, usually on the underside of a leaf of a host plant. The species is polyphagous, meaning that it feeds on many different species of trees, including pear, apple, maple and oak.

<i>Hyalophora cecropia</i> Species of moth

Hyalophora cecropia, the cecropia moth, is North America's largest native moth. It is a member of the family Saturniidae, or giant silk moths. Females have been documented with a wingspan of five to seven inches or more. These moths can be found all across North America as far west as Washington and north into the majority of Canadian provinces. Cecropia moth larvae are most commonly found on maple trees, but they have also been found on cherry and birch trees among many others. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Dryocampa rubicunda</i> Species of moth

Dryocampa rubicunda, the rosy maple moth, is a small North American moth in the family Saturniidae, also known as the great silk moths. It was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793. The species is known for its wooly body and pink and yellow coloration, which varies from cream or white to bright pink or yellow. Males have bushier antennae than females, which allow them to sense female pheromones for mating.

<i>Orgyia leucostigma</i> Species of moth

Orgyia leucostigma, the white-marked tussock moth, is a moth in the family Erebidae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797. The caterpillar is very common especially in late summer in eastern North America, extending as far west as Texas, California, and Alberta.

<i>Orgyia</i> Genus of moths

Orgyia is a genus of tussock moths of the family Erebidae. The genus was described by Ochsenheimer in 1810. The species are cosmopolitan, except for the Neotropical realm.

<i>Agrotis ipsilon</i> Species of moth

Agrotis ipsilon, the dark sword-grass, black cutworm, greasy cutworm, floodplain cutworm or ipsilon dart, is a small noctuid moth found worldwide. The moth gets its scientific name from black markings on its forewings shaped like the letter "Y" or the Greek letter upsilon. The larvae are known as "cutworms" because they cut plants and other crops. The larvae are serious agricultural pests and feed on nearly all varieties of vegetables and many important grains.

<i>Olene mendosa</i> Species of moth

Olene mendosa, the brown tussock moth or hairy tussock moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1823. It is found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Australia.

<i>Cydia nigricana</i> Pea moth

Cydia nigricana, the pea moth, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Europe.

<i>Synanthedon myopaeformis</i> Species of moth

Synanthedon myopaeformis is a moth of the family Sesiidae and the order Lepidoptera. In Europe it is known as the red-belted clearwing and in North America as the apple clearwing moth. The larvae create galleries under the bark of fruit trees, especially old trees with damaged trunks. During this process, the larvae cause significant damage to host trees. Particular attention has been paid to the damage they cause to apple trees. Their status as a pest of apple orchards has led to many research projects aimed at controlling populations of the moth. This moth is native to Europe, the Near East and North Africa. Recently, the moth was introduced into North America, being first detected in Canada in 2005. There are several organisms that threaten the larvae, including parasitoids, nematodes, and bacteria.

<i>Eriogaster lanestris</i> Species of moth

Eriogaster lanestris, commonly known as the small eggar, is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae that is found across the Palearctic. Unlike many other members of the Lasiocampidae, the small eggar is a social insect. Historically, only eusocial insects like ants, bees, and termites were thought to exhibit complex social organization and communication systems. However, research since the late 20th century has found that E. lanestris, among a number of other phylogenetically related moth and butterfly species, demonstrates social behaviors as well. Larvae spend nearly their entire development in colonies of about 200 individuals, and this grouped social structure offers a number of benefits, from thermoregulation to increased foraging success.

<i>Orgyia thyellina</i> Species of moth

Orgyia thyellina, the white-spotted tussock moth, is a species of moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1881. It is native to the Russian Far East, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. It was discovered in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1996. Operation Ever Green was established that same year to eradicate the pest. By 1998, the species was eradicated. It is thought of as one of the most successful eradication programmes ever undertaken in an urban area.

<i>Orgyia pseudotsugata</i> Species of moth

Orgyia pseudotsugata, the Douglas-fir tussock moth, is a moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae first described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1921. It is found in western North America. Its population periodically irrupts in cyclical outbreaks. The caterpillars feed on the needles of Douglas fir, true fir, and spruce in summer, and moths are on the wing from July or August to November.

<i>Andesobia jelskii</i> Species of moth

Andesobia jelskii is a species of moth of the subfamily Arctiinae first described by Charles Oberthür in 1881. It is found in the Department of Junín in Peru.

<i>Orgyia postica</i> Species of moth

Orgyia postica, the cocoa tussock moth or hevea tussock moth, is a species of moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae of the family Erebidae found in the Oriental tropics of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Borneo, Java, New Guinea, and Taiwan. It was described by Francis Walker in 1855.

<i>Lymantria dispar dispar</i> Subspecies of moth (gypsy moth)

Lymantria dispar dispar, commonly known as the gypsy moth, European gypsy moth, LDD moth, or North American gypsy moth or spongy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. It has a native range that extends over Europe and parts of Africa, and is an invasive species in North America.

<i>Perina nuda</i> Species of moth

Perina nuda, the clearwing tussock moth or banyan tussock moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1787. It is found in the Indian subregion, Sri Lanka, to southern China Hong Kong, Thailand and Sundaland.

Laelia suffusa is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by George Hampson in 1893. It is found in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Java, East Indies, Sundaland, the Philippines and Sulawesi.

Gynaephora rossii, in English known as Ross' tussock moth, is a species of tussock moth in the family Erebidae. It is widespread in the tundras and highlands of the Holarctic. It has large, furry caterpillars which seem to eat mostly saxifrages.

References

  1. ↑ Arnaud Jr., Paul Henri (1978). "A Host-parasite Catalog of North American Tachinidae (Diptera)". Miscellaneous Publication (United States. Dept. Of Agriculture) (1319). Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Explanation of name "vapourer"
  3. 1 2 3 Carter, Nelson E. (2004). Status of forest pests in New Brunswick in 2003. Department of Natural Resources, Fredericton, New Brunswick. pp. 7–8.[ permanent dead link ]
  4. ↑ IUCN (2007), 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Waring, Paul; Townsend, Martin; Lewington, Richard (2003). Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing, Hook, UK, p. 208.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 de Worms, C. G. M. (1979). "Lymantriidae". In Heath, J.; Emmet, A. M.; et al. (eds.). The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 9 Sphingidae–Noctuidae Noctuinae and Hadeninae. London: Curwen Books. p. 70.
  7. ↑ Lau, Stanley TF; Meyer-Rochow, Victor Benno (2007). "The compound eye of Orgyia antiqua(Lepidoptera; Lymantriidae): sexual dimorphism and light/dark adaptational changes". European Journal of Entomology. 104 (2): 247–258. doi: 10.14411/eje.2007.039 .
  8. ↑ Mishra, Monalisa; Meyer-Rochow, Victor Benno (2008). "Eyes of male and female Orgyia antiqua (Lepidoptera; Lymantriidae) react differently to an exposure with UV-A". Micron. 39 (4): 471–480. doi:10.1016/j.micron.2007.02.006. PMID   17419066.
  9. 1 2 3 Wagner, D.M. (2005). Caterpillars of eastern North America. Princeton University Press.
  10. 1 2 Porter, Jim (1997). The Colour Identification Guide to Caterpillars of the British Isles. Viking, London, p. 80.
  11. ↑ Pinder, P. S.; Hayes, A. J. (1986). "An outbreak of Vapourer Moth (Orgyiaantiqua L.: Lepidoptera Lymantridae) on Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) in Central Scotland". Forestry. 59 (1): 97–106. doi:10.1093/forestry/59.1.97. ISSN   0015-752X.
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