Pyrrharctia isabella

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Isabella tiger moth
Pyrrharctia isabella - Isabella Tiger Moth (14842796231).jpg
Adult
Pyrrharctia isabella - Caterpillar - Devonian Fossil Gorge - Iowa City - 2014-10-15 - image 1.jpg
Woolly bear caterpillar
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Erebidae
Subfamily: Arctiinae
Genus: Pyrrharctia
Species:
P. isabella
Binomial name
Pyrrharctia isabella
(J. E. Smith, 1797)
Synonyms
  • Phalaena isabellaJ. E. Smith, 1797
  • Pyrrharctia californicaPackard, 1864

Pyrrharctia isabella, the Isabella tiger moth, whose larval form is called the banded woolly bear, woolly bear, or woolly worm, occurs in the United States and southern Canada. [1] [2] It was first formally named by James Edward Smith in 1797.

Contents

Description

The thirteen-segment larvae are usually covered with brown hair in their mid-regions and black hair in their anterior and posterior areas. In direct sunlight, the brown hair looks bright reddish brown. Adults are generally dull yellowish through orangish and have robust, scaly thoraces; small heads; and bright reddish-orange forelegs. Wings have sparse black spotting. [3]

The isabella tiger moth can be found in many cold and temperate regions. The banded woolly bear larva emerges from the egg in the fall and overwinters in its caterpillar form, by allowing most of its mass to freeze solid. First its heart stops beating, then its gut freezes, then its blood, followed by the rest of the body. It survives being frozen by producing a cryoprotectant in its tissues. [4] This freezing occurs outside of body cells, but not within. In the spring, it thaws.

Larval setae do not inject venom and are not urticant; they do not typically cause irritation, injury, inflammation, or swelling. [5] Handling larvae is discouraged, however, because their sharp, spiny hairs may cause dermatitis in some people. [6]

Diet

Caterpillar foraging
Woolly Bear.

This species is a generalist feeder, consuming many plant species, including herbs and trees. [1] Based on the caterpillars' wide range of food plants, this moth could be found almost anywhere that plants grow. [7]

Singer et al. showed that the larvae of a related moth, Grammia incorrupta (whose larvae are also called "woollybears"), consume alkaloid-laden leaves that help fight off internal parasitic fly larvae. This phenomenon has been proposed to be "the first clear demonstration of self-medication among insects." Within the same family, the larvae of the garden tiger moth ( Arctia caja ) are also known as woollybear caterpillars and consume an alkaloid diet similar to Grammia incorrupta. [8]

In culture

Folklore

Canadian and U.S. folklore holds that the relative amounts of brown and black hair on a larva indicate the severity of the coming winter. It is believed that if a Pyrrharctia isabella's brown band is wide, winter weather will be mild, and if the brown band is narrow, the winter will be severe. In a variation of this story, the color of stripes predicts the winter weather, with darker stripes indicating a harsher winter. In reality, hatchlings from the same clutch of eggs can display considerable variation in their color banding, and a larva's brown band tends to widen with age as it molts. [9]

Another version of this belief is that the direction in which a Pyrrharctia isabella crawls indicates the winter weather, with the caterpillar crawling south to escape colder weather. There is no scientific evidence for winter weather prediction by Pyrrharctia isabella. [10]

Woollybear festivals

Woollybear festivals are held in several locations in the fall.

Media

The story "Woolly Bear", published in Book 26 (Tramway Engines) of the Rev. W. Awdry's The Railway Series, is so named due to Percy the Small Engine resembling the larval form after becoming covered in hay at the story's conclusion. This story was adapted into an episode of the same name for the second season of Thomas & Friends.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beattyville, Kentucky</span> City in Kentucky, United States

Beattyville is a home rule class city in, and the county seat of, Lee County, Kentucky, United States. The city was formally established by the state assembly as "Beatty" in 1851 and incorporated in 1872. It was named for Samuel Beatty, a pioneer settler. The population was 1,307 at the 2010 census and an estimated 1,206 in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctiinae</span> Subfamily of moths

The Arctiinae are a large and diverse subfamily of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species. This subfamily includes the groups commonly known as tiger moths, which usually have bright colours, footmen, which are usually much drabber, lichen moths, and wasp moths. Many species have "hairy" caterpillars that are popularly known as woolly bears or woolly worms. The scientific name Arctiinae refers to this hairiness. Some species within the Arctiinae have the word "tussock"' in their common names because they have been misidentified as members of the Lymantriinae subfamily based on the characteristics of the larvae.

<i>Ceratomia catalpae</i> Species of moth

Ceratomia catalpae, the catalpa sphinx, is a hawk moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875. Other common names are the Catawba worm, or Catalpa sphinx.

<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>Gonimbrasia belina</i> Species of emperor moth

Gonimbrasia belina is a species of emperor moth which is native to the warmer parts of southern Africa. Its large edible caterpillar, known as the mopane worm, madora, amacimbi “pigeon moth” or masontja, feeds primarily but not exclusively on mopane tree leaves. Mopane worms are an important source of protein for many in the region. The species was first described by John O. Westwood in 1849.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garden tiger moth</span> Species of moth

The garden tiger moth or great tiger moth is a moth of the family Erebidae. Arctia caja is a northern species found in the US, Canada, and Europe. The moth prefers cold climates with temperate seasonality, as the larvae overwinter, and preferentially chooses host plants that produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids. However, garden tiger moths are generalists, and will pick many different plants to use as larval host plants.

<i>Spilosoma virginica</i> Species of moth

Spilosoma virginica is a species of moth in the subfamily Arctiinae. As a caterpillar, it is known as the yellow woolly bear or yellow bear caterpillar. As an adult, it is known as the Virginian tiger moth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limacodidae</span> Family of moths

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<i>Halysidota tessellaris</i> Species of moth

Halysidota tessellaris, also called the pale tiger moth, banded tussock moth, and tessellated halisidota, is in the family Erebidae and the tribe Arctiini, the tiger moths. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797. Like many related species, adult moths have chemical defenses acquired from its host plants, in this case, alkaloids. Larval behaviors suggest that they are chemically protected; they have not been analyzed for alkaloid content.

The Woollybear Festival is held every Fall in downtown Vermilion, Ohio, on Lake Erie. The one-day, family event, which began in 1973, features a woolly bear costume contest in which children, even pets, are dressed up as various renditions of the woolly bear caterpillar.

<i>Acronicta rumicis</i> Species of moth

Acronicta rumicis, the knot grass moth, is a species of moth which is part of the genus Acronicta and family Noctuidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in the Palearctic region. A. rumicis lives and feeds on plants located in wide-open areas. At its larval stage, as a caterpillar, it causes such a large impact as a crop pest that it has received much attention and research. A. rumicis feeds on maize, strawberries and other herbaceous plants.

<i>Phragmatobia fuliginosa</i> Species of moth

Phragmatobia fuliginosa, the ruby tiger, is a moth of the family Erebidae.

<i>Utetheisa ornatrix</i> Species of moth

Utetheisa ornatrix, also called the ornate bella moth, ornate moth, bella moth or rattlebox moth, is a moth of the subfamily Arctiinae. It is aposematically colored ranging from pink, red, orange and yellow to white coloration with black markings arranged in varying patterns on its wings. It has a wingspan of 33–46 mm. Moths reside in temperate midwestern and eastern North America as well as throughout Mexico and other parts of Central America. Unlike most moths, the bella moth is diurnal. Formerly, the bella moth or beautiful utetheisa of temperate eastern North America was separated as Utetheisa bella. Now it is united with the bella moth in Utetheisa ornatrix.

<i>Ochrogaster lunifer</i> Species of moth

Ochrogaster lunifer, the bag-shelter moth or processionary caterpillar, is a member of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1855. Both the larval and adult forms have hairs that cause irritation of the skin (urticaria). The adult moth has a woolly appearance and its wings can grow to be about 5.5 cm across. The larvae feed on Grevillea striata at night and reside in brown silken bag nest during the day.

<i>Gynaephora groenlandica</i> Species of moth

Gynaephora groenlandica, the Arctic woolly bear moth, is an erebid moth native to the High Arctic in the Canadian archipelago, Greenland and Wrangel Island in Russia. It is known for its slow rate of development, as its full caterpillar life cycle may extend up to 7 years, with moulting occurring each spring. This species remains in a larval state for the vast majority of its life. Rare among Lepidoptera, it undergoes an annual period of diapause that lasts for much of the calendar year, as G. groenlandica is subject to some of the longest, most extreme winters on Earth. In this dormant state, it can withstand temperatures as low as −70 °C. The Arctic woolly bear moth also exhibits basking behavior, which aids in temperature regulation and digestion and affects both metabolism and oxygen consumption. Females generally do not fly, while males usually do.

The Woolly Worm Festival is an event held each October since 1978 in Banner Elk and Avery County, North Carolina. The festival celebrates the supposed weather-predicting abilities of the woolly worm, also called "woolly bear" which is a caterpillar or larvae of the isabella tiger moth. Events include a caterpillar race.

<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>Apantesis incorrupta</i> Species of moth

Apantesis incorrupta is an arctiine moth in the family Erebidae, described by Henry Edwards in 1881. It is found from southern Colorado and south-eastern Kansas south through Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas into Mexico and west to south-eastern California. The habitat consists of grasslands and open woodlands.

<i>Hemileuca lucina</i> Species of moth

Hemileuca lucina, the New England buck moth, is a species of moth in the family Saturniidae. This moth species is only found in the New England region of the United States. Larvae in early stages mainly feed on broadleaf meadowsweet whereas larvae in later stages show variation in food sources such as blackberry and black cherry leaves. Larvae have a black body with orange/black spines on their back that are used to deter predators. Pupation occurs during the summer and adult moths come out around September.

References

  1. 1 2 Robinson, E. & Schmidt, B. C. "Species Details Pyrrharctia isabella". University of Alberta Museums. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  2. "Woolly Worm Festival". Woolly Worm Festival. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  3. Beadle, David; Leckie, Seabrooke. (2012). Peterson field guide to moths of northeastern North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Company. ISBN   978-0-547-23848-7. OCLC   723141254.
  4. Layne, Jack R.; Kuharsky, Diane K. (1 March 2000). "Triggering of cryoprotectant synthesis in the woolly bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella Lepidoptera: Arctiidae)". Journal of Experimental Zoology. 286 (4): 367–371. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-010X(20000301)286:4<367::AID-JEZ4>3.0.CO;2-F. PMID   10684559.
  5. Mullen, Gary Richard; Durden, Lance A. (2002). Medical and Veterinary Entomology. Academic Press. ISBN   0-12-510451-0.[ page needed ]
  6. Wagner, David L. (2009). "The Immature Stages: Structure, Function, Behavior, and Ecology". In Conner, William E. (ed.). Tiger Moths and Woolly Bears: Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution of the Arctiidae. Oxford University Press, USA. pp. 31–53. ISBN   978-0-19-532737-3.
  7. "Isabella Tiger Moth (Woolly Bear; Woolly Worm)". MDC Discover Nature. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  8. Singer, Michael S.; Mace, Kevi C.; Bernays, Elizabeth A.; May, Robin Charles (10 March 2009). "Self-Medication as Adaptive Plasticity: Increased Ingestion of Plant Toxins by Parasitized Caterpillars". PLOS ONE. 4 (3): e4796. Bibcode:2009PLoSO...4.4796S. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004796 . PMC   2652102 . PMID   19274098.
  9. Boeckmann, Catherine (28 August 2019). "Woolly Bear Caterpillars and Weather Prediction". Old Farmer's Almana.
  10. "Woolly Bear Caterpillar - Winter Predictor Or Not?". US Dept of Commerce; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service.
  11. "Woollybear Festival »". vermilionchamber.net. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
  12. Old Farmer's Almanac. 1999.
  13. Staff, WLWT Digital (24 October 2019). "Kentucky's prognosticating woolly worm to give its winter forecast". WLWT.
  14. "Festivals and Events | Welcome to the City of Beattyville, Kentucky". www.beattyville.org.
  15. "Woolly Worm Festival". Beattyville/Lee County Tourism.
  16. Robertson, Dan. "Oil Valley Vick & the NWPA Wooly Bear Society". Mystic Outer Rim Society. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  17. "Wooly Bear Weekend with Local Manufacturers and Artisans". Cattaraugus County. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2018.