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 310 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: Mary Dennis
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: JD Holman
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: lumpydave84
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: Bmtdoc
Region: Wayne County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: Bmtdoc
Region: Wayne County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2022
Submitted by: Leslie Warren
Region: Mahoning County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: veemoe
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 23, 2022
Submitted by: jnchandler
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: pcmassaro
Region: Spotsylvania County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: Jazzejan
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jul 24, 2022
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Sporty88305
Region: Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 07, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2018
Submitted by: momsavang
Region: Muscogee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2018
Submitted by: magnolyah
Region: Georgia, Towns County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: Falcon5177
Region: Douglas County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2018
Submitted by: Nina Moring
Region: Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2017
Submitted by: Griffj
Region: Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 18, 2017
Submitted by: Drdtw
Region: DeKalb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2017
Submitted by: Wissette8@yahoo.com
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 03, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2015
Submitted by: auchencook
Region: Clarke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2015
Submitted by: lseadore
Region: Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2015
Submitted by: sltrammell
Region: Scott County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2015
Submitted by: krogmon
Region: Hall County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2015
Submitted by: Nick1
Region: Catoosa County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2017
Submitted by: Wlmay67
Region: DeKalb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 17, 2022
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