Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

  Sighting 909235

Orange-tipped oakworm moth
Anisota senatoria

Observation date: July 06, 2013
Submitted by: Joan Quinn Eastman
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: A large Anisota-virginiensis appeared on July 6th flew into a home in Truro, MA. It was released and it returned a couple of hours later where it positioned itself outside the kitchen screen. The next day, July 7th it attached itself to a porch railing, where it remained for most of the day and into dusk. That evening it appeared to be shielding a baby. Later in the day it was apparent they were mating. They were engaged for hours. It was amazing how this moth did not leave that railing all day!
Status: Resident
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: July 09, 2013
Coordinator notes: At first I thought these were Anisota stigma, but the shape of the male's forewings are much closer to Anisota senatoria (and virginiensis for that matter, heavy spotting on the female rules out virginiensis though). The male also appears to be very fresh as most of the scales have not fallen off the hyaline patch, something that threw me off A. senatoria initially.