# Red-washed Prominent (*Oedemasia semirufescens*) The Red-washed Prominent is a colorful caterpillar that turns into a beautiful moth. It has bright red and yellow colors that help it blend in with flowers and leaves. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Red-washed Prominent](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Oedemasia_semirufescens_-_inat_8384542.jpg&width=800) Photo: Matt Muir Depicted place : Maple Flats ( 37°58′37″N 78°59′46″W / 37.9769553662°N 78.9961537201°W / 37.9769553662; -78.9961537201 ), CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oedemasia_semirufescens_-_inat_8384542.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-washed Prominent is a stout-bodied moth with distinctive reddish-brown forewings, often marked by a darker, angled line. Its hindwings are paler gray, and it typically displays a tuft of raised scales on its thorax, giving it a bumpy appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Notodontidae - **Genus:** Schizura ## Interesting facts - Adult moths have short lives, often not eating after emerging! - It spends winter safely as a pupa underground, waiting for spring! - Its 'prominent' name comes from unique tufts of scales on its wings! - The caterpillar often has a humped back, looking quirky as it crawls! ## Special abilities - **Twig Mimicry:** Red-washed Prominent caterpillars can look just like broken twigs, helping them hide perfectly from hungry birds and other predators. - **Defensive Display:** The caterpillar can rear up its front end and curl its tail when threatened, making itself look much bigger and scarier. - **Nocturnal Navigator:** As a moth, it flies mostly at night, using its excellent sense of smell to find mates and navigate in the dark. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 35-50 mm - **Size:** 20-30 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-20 days - **Flight Speed:** 8 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Caterpillars are leaf-eaters, while adult moths rarely feed. - **Age differences:** Caterpillars actively feed on leaves, but adult moths have vestigial mouthparts and may not feed at all. - **Primary Foods:** oak leaves, birch leaves, maple leaves, elm leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — Blue Jays often hunt caterpillars and moths. - **Hunts:** [Little Brown Bat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/little-brown-bat) (*Myotis lucifugus*) — Bats hunt adult moths in the night sky. - **Eats:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Caterpillars munch on oak tree leaves. - **Parasitizes:** Tachinid fly (*Compsilura concinnata*) — An introduced fly parasitizes caterpillars. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch insects, as some can be delicate or have special defenses. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-washed Prominent? Compare resting wing shape, forewing markings, antennae and body build. Small brown moths can hinge on fine details a phone photo can't always catch. Moth Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Red-washed Prominent's wingspan? 35-50 mm ### How big is Red-washed Prominent? 20-30 mm ### How long does Red-washed Prominent live? 7-20 days ### How fast can Red-washed Prominent fly? 8 km/h ### What does Red-washed Prominent eat? Caterpillars are leaf-eaters, while adult moths rarely feed. ### Where is Red-washed Prominent usually found? Forests ### How does Red-washed Prominent hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Bogachiel State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bogachiel-state-park) — Washington, US · State Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Red-washed Prominent: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-washed-prominent)