Eight-spotted Forester Moth
Alypia octomaculata
Also known as: Eight-spotted Forester
Insecta
UNCOMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- About 1 yr
- Size
- Small
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Temperate forest
- Range
- North America
- Movement
- Flight
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Warning colors
- Status
- Uncommon
About
This day-flying moth is often mistaken for a butterfly, sporting bold black wings marked with eight cream-yellow spots and bright orange, fuzzy hindlegs. Its caterpillars feed on grapevine and Virginia creeper, giving it the alternate name 'grapevine looper'.
Life cycle
- 1.eggA tiny ribbed egg laid on the underside of a host-plant leaf, hatching within days.
- 2.caterpillarA voracious caterpillar feeds and molts through several instars, growing rapidly.
- 3.cocoonA silk cocoon spun in leaf litter or soil while the body remodels into a winged adult.
- 4.mothA winged adult with feathery antennae and scaled wings, most active after dark.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Noctuidae
- Genus
- Alypia
- Species
- Alypia octomaculata