Peigler's oakworm moth Anisota peigleri Riotte, 1975

Family: Saturniidae

Subfamily: Ceratocampinae

Identification: Females may be twice as large as males. Upperside of female is reddish orange, with the hindwing paler. Forewing has a white cell spot and a faint dark postmedian line. Upperside of male forewing is dark brown with a small white cell spot and a whitish translucent patch. Hindwing is mostly reddish.

Wing Span: 1 11/16 - 2 11/16 inches (4.3 - 6.9 cm).

Life History: Adults are day fliers, and mate from midmorning until midafternoon. Females lay eggs after dusk in large clumps on oak leaves. Caterpillars feed in tight groups throughout their development. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in shallow underground chambers.

Flight: One flight from mid-July to late August.

Caterpillar Hosts: Various black oaks (Quercus) and ornamental pin oak (Q. palustris).

Adult Food: Adults do not feed.

Habitat: Piedmont and flat, dry oak scrub.

Range: Southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina south through western South Carolina and central Georgia into north-central Florida.

Conservation: Not usually required.

NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management Needs: None reported.

Comments: NULL

BAMONA Shop

Check out our new Fall 2025 Classic BAMONA Logo Shirts and cozy Native Plants Hoodies!

Please donate!

We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.

Advertise with us!

Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.

Verified Sightings

Displaying 49 - 56 of 56 verified sightings

Filter by Region