Oregon Cycnia Moth – Cycnia oregonensis

Subfamily Arctiinae – Tiger and Lichen Moths
Formerly family Arctiidae, this is a large and diverse family of moths with around 11,000 species in three tribes worldwide [2].
The larvae of this moth feed on dogbane. Live adult moths photographed at Winfield, Illinois

The most distinctive feature of the family is a tymbal organ on the metathorax which uses a thin membrane to produce ultrasonic countermeasures against their chief predator’s (bats) echolocation system. Larvae of some species use sound along with color to advertise their inedibility; many species acquire chemical defenses from their hostplants e.g., milkweeds or dogbane.)

Many of the caterpillars and adults are active during the daytime. Common folklore has it that the forthcoming severity of a winter can be predicted by the amount of black on the Isabella tiger moth’s caterpillar, the most familiar woolly bear in North America; however the relative width of the black band varies among instars, not according to weather. Isabella tiger moths (Pyrrharctia isabella) overwinter in the caterpillar stage. They can survive freezing at moderate subzero temperatures by producing a cryo-protectant chemical (Layne and Kuharsky 2000). The larvae of another species, Phragmatobia fuliginosa, may be found on snow seeking a place to pupate.

References
1. United States Geological Survey, Caterpillars of Eastern Forests
2. Bugguide.net, “Subfamily Arctiinae”

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