2023 July 20 evening

Below we show a male Rusty Tussock or Vapourer Moth.  The female has no functional wings. The caterpillar from which this moth was reared is shown on July 2.  The insect spent less than three weeks in the pupal stage.  Tussock moths (Lymantriinae) are named for the characteristic tussocks of hairs on the caterpillars.  I don’t know for sure the origin of the name “Vapourer” moth, unless it be for the copious pheromones emitted by the flightless female.

Rusty Tussock or Vapourer  Orgyia antiqua
(Lep.: Erebidae – Lymantriinae)
Jeremy Tatum