Leconte’s Haploa Moth – Haploa lecontei
Erebidae is a large and diverse family of moths including the groups commonly known as tiger moths, footmen moths, lichen moths and wasp moths. Many species have ‘hairy’ caterpillars which are popularly known as woolly bears.
The most distinctive feature of the family is a tymbal organ on the metathorax (Scoble 1995). This organ has membranes which are vibrated to produce ultrasonic sounds. They also have thoracic tympanal organs for hearing, a trait which has a fairly broad distribution in the Lepidoptera, but the location and structure is distinctive to the family. Other distinctive traits are particular setae (‘hairs’) on the larvae, wing venation, and a pair of glands near the ovipositor (Scoble, 1995). The sounds are used in mating (Simmons and Conner 1996) and defense against predators (Fullard et al, 1994).
Confused Haploa Moth – Haploa confusa
Family Erebidae / Subfamily Arctiinae – Tiger, Footman and Lichen Moths
This larva is probably Haploa confusa
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