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St. Lawrence Tiger Moth

Arctia parthenos

The St. Lawrence Tiger Moth is a fuzzy, colorful insect that loves to fly at night. Its beautiful orange and black patterns help it blend in with flowers and leaves.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The St. Lawrence Tiger Moth has jet-black forewings with bold, irregular creamy-white patterns, strikingly different from its bright red-orange hindwings marked with large black spots. Its body is fuzzy and dark with red-orange bands.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderLepidopteraFamilyErebidaeGenusArctia
St. Lawrence Tiger Moth
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St. Lawrence Tiger Moth

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Adult moths often don't eat, living off energy stored from their caterpillar days.

If disturbed, this moth drops and plays dead, surprising predators.

Its brilliant hindwing colors are hidden until it flies, startling attackers!

Its scientific name, Arctia, means "bear," just like its fuzzy caterpillar looks!

Special abilities

Ability

Warning Colors

St. Lawrence Tiger Moth has bright wing colors to warn predators, because its body tastes very bad.

Ability

Sound Detection

St. Lawrence Tiger Moth can hear high-pitched bat sounds, helping it quickly dodge aerial attacks from hungry predators.

Ability

Winter Survivor

St. Lawrence Tiger Moth caterpillars can freeze solid and thaw, producing natural antifreeze to survive winter.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
45-60 mm
Size
15-25 mm
Lifespan
7-14 days
Flight Speed
10-20 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Caterpillars munch on plant leaves, while adult moths usually don't eat.

Age differences: Young caterpillars eat leaves; adults typically do not feed.

Primary Foods

  • dandelions
  • plantains
  • clover
  • broadleaf plants

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Don't touch moths without asking an adult, as some can be delicate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is St. Lawrence Tiger Moth's wingspan?

45-60 mm

How big is St. Lawrence Tiger Moth?

15-25 mm

How long does St. Lawrence Tiger Moth live?

7-14 days

How fast can St. Lawrence Tiger Moth fly?

10-20 km/h

What does St. Lawrence Tiger Moth eat?

Caterpillars munch on plant leaves, while adult moths usually don't eat.

Where is St. Lawrence Tiger Moth usually found?

Forests

How does St. Lawrence Tiger Moth hunt?

Foraging

How many legs does St. Lawrence Tiger Moth have?

6

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