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Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth

Anisota pellucida

The Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth is a colorful moth with pink stripes! It loves to flutter around oak trees and is mostly active at night, making it a special nighttime friend in nature.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth has striking pink stripes on its forewings, contrasting with a yellowish to tan body and hindwings. Its wings are somewhat translucent. The robust body and relatively small head are also characteristic.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderLepidopteraFamilySaturniidaeGenusAnisota
Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth
striped trait badgesolitary trait badgecolorful trait badgeherbivorous trait badge
Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

3

Interesting facts

Adult Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moths don't even eat! They live off stored energy!

Its caterpillars are spiky and colorful, ranging from green to purplish-brown.

Their name "oakworm" comes from their caterpillars' love for oak leaves!

This moth spends a long time as a pupa, sometimes overwintering underground.

Special abilities

Ability

Leaf-Mimic Camouflage

Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth has pink and yellow stripes that help them blend perfectly with oak leaves and flowers.

Ability

Oak Leaf Muncher

Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth caterpillars can chew through tough oak leaves because of their strong mandibles.

Ability

Nighttime Navigator

Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth can fly in the dark because of its specialized vision and sensory antennae.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
35-55 mm
Size
15-25 mm
Lifespan
7-14 days
Flight Speed
8 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Oakworm caterpillars munch oak leaves; surprisingly, adult moths do not eat at all!

Age differences: Larvae eat oak leaves, while the adult moths do not feed.

Primary Foods

  • Quercus alba
  • Quercus rubra
  • Quercus palustris
  • Quercus coccinea

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Don't touch moths or caterpillars you find outside; just watch them from a distance!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth?

The easiest way to identify Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

What is Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth's wingspan?

35-55 mm

How big is Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth?

15-25 mm

How long does Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth live?

7-14 days

How fast can Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth fly?

8 km/h

What does Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth eat?

Oakworm caterpillars munch oak leaves; surprisingly, adult moths do not eat at all!

Where is Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth usually found?

Forests

How does Southern Pink-striped Oakworm Moth hunt?

Foraging

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