Orange-tipped oakworm moth
Anisota senatoria (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Ceratocampinae
Identification: Females can be twice as large as males. Upperside of female is yellow-orange to yellow-brown; forewing has a white cell spot and varying amounts of scattered black specks. Upperside of male is reddish orange to brownish orange; forewing is narrow with a small white cell spot and a small whitish translucent patch.
Wing Span: 1 3/16 - 2 inches (3 - 5 cm).
Life History: Adults are day fliers. Mating takes place from late morning to early afternoon, and in late afternoon or dusk, females begin laying eggs in large clumps on the underside of oak leaves. Eggs hatch in about 2 weeks and are gregarious when young. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in shallow underground chambers.
Flight: One brood from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various oaks (Quercus) and perhaps chinquapin (Castanea pumila).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous forests.
Range: Southern Maine west across the Great Lakes region to central Minnesota; south to central Georgia, central Alabama, central Mississippi, Louisiana, and east Texas.
Conservation: Caterpillar populations can be large enough to cause severe defoliation of oaks.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 264 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: barbieM
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 14, 2020
Observation date: Aug 08, 2019
Submitted by: portfaul
Region: Baltimore County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 20, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: JennSiegmann
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 20, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: JanetEdwards
Region: York County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
Observation date: Aug 30, 2019
Submitted by: pachips
Region: Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 01, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2017
Submitted by: DSM
Region: Stone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: LinCepek
Region: Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Ryan_sell712
Region: Columbiana County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: smsmith14
Region: York County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 24, 2019
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: DLGorgy
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: Jamila314
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 17, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: Eteep
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 15, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: nehall
Region: Martinsville, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Tom Raub
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 11, 2019
Observation date: Jul 15, 2019
Submitted by: jonathanboyer
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 15, 2019
Observation date: Jul 11, 2019
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Newton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 13, 2019
Observation date: Jul 10, 2019
Submitted by: agdsquash
Region: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: Jun 26, 2019
Submitted by: UBThere2
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: James Fox
Region: Virginia, United States, Warren County
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 25, 2019
Observation date: Jun 24, 2019
Submitted by: janseno
Region: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 24, 2019
Observation date: Aug 19, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 28, 2018
Observation date: Sep 14, 2018
Submitted by: SusanPotomac
Region: Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 26, 2018
Observation date: Sep 08, 2018
Submitted by: Dr. Z.
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 08, 2018
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