Subfamily Arctiinae
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Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea) - female
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Primary food plants:
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The Salt Marsh Caterpillar is a pest on a variety of plants, including cabbage, corn, clover, cotton, tobacco, peas, and apple trees.
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Wingspan:
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4.5 - 6.8 cm (1 3/5 - 2 7/10 in.)
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Season:
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May - August
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Description:
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The head, thorax, and forewings of this moth are white. Black spots are located along the costa of the forewings, and the forewings are also speckled with black. The hindwings of males are orange; females lack this orange coloration on the hindwings.
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Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae (Woolly Bears) feeds on a variety of plants, including clover, corn, birches, elms, maples, and sunflowers.
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Wingspan:
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4.5 - 6.5 cm (4/5 - 2 3/5 in.)
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Season:
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April - August
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Description:
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Indistinct, brownish antemedial, median, and postmedial lines cross the pointed, orangish forewings. A line of black spots are located near the tips of the wings.
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Giant Leopard Moth (Hypercompe (=Ecpantheria) scribonia)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feeds on the leaves of a wide variety of plants, including cabbages, dandelions, maples, sunflowers, violets, and willows.
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Wingspan:
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5.7 - 9.1 cm (2 1/4 - 3 3/5 in.)
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Season:
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April - September
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Description:
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Giant Leopard Moths have white forewings with white spots encircled by bluish-black, and white hindwings with dark streaks. Yellowish droplets of liquid are sometimes seen on these moths -- these droplets are a chemical defense against predators (left photo). As the wings wear, they tend to become translucent along the outer edges (right photo).
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Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on the leaves of many trees and shrubs, such as ashes, elms, birches, hickories, oaks, and willows.
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Wingspan:
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4.0 - 4.5 cm (1 9/16 - 1 3/4 in.)
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Season:
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May - October
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Description:
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Pale, translucent yellow wings are marked by bands of near the same color edged with black. The body is light yellowish-orange; notice the bluish-green collar and edging on the tegula (located near the base of the forewings).
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Red-tailed Specter Moth (Euerythra phasma)
Image courtesy of Cindy Thornton.
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Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on Eupatorium sp., oaks, willow trees, and other plants.
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Wingspan:
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4.1 - 5.6 cm (1 3/5 - 2 1/5 in.)
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Season:
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June - August
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Description:
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Forewings are cream-colored with a partial dark brown border extending inward as a "spur" from the inner margin of the wing.
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Harnessed Tiger Moth (Apantesis phalerata)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on a variety of plants, including corn, clover, dandelions, and plantains.
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Wingspan:
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3.0 - 4.2 cm (1 1/5 - 1 7/10 in.)
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Season:
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April - September
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Description:
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Forewing markings are variable but generally include a pale border along the leading edges and lines originating from the base of the wings and extending outward on a background of black. Female specimens usually have fewer cream-colored markings on the forewings than males. The hindwings also are variable in color and often are reddish with some black around the margins.
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Banded Tiger Moth (Apantesis vittata)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on low-growing plants, such as dandelions.
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Wingspan:
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3.2 - 4.2 cm (1 3/10 - 1 7/10 in.)
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Season:
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March - October
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Description:
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This species is very similar to the Harnessed Tiger Moth (Apantesis phalerata -shown in previous photo). Where both species occur, however, the Banded Tiger Moth generally has more reddish coloration and wider, more solid black edging along the margins of the hindwings.
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The Neighbor (Haploa contigua)
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Primary food plants:
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Unrecorded.
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Wingspan:
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3.6 - 4.9 cm (1 2/5 - 2 in.)
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Season:
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May - August
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Description:
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A brown line marks the leading edges of the cream to whitish-colored forewings and continues on to the anal angle. A third line extends from the bottom edge of the wing to intersect it. In addition, the inner borders of the forewings are edged with brown.
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Haploa sp. (see description below)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae of the Colona Moth (Haploa colona) feed on a variety of plants, including ash, elms, hackberry, apple, and peach trees. The larvae of the Reversed Haploa (Haploa reversa) also feed on many different types of plants and are often considered to be pests on peach trees.
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Wingspan:
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4.0 - 5.5 cm (1 3/5 - 2 1/5 in.)
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Season:
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April - July
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Description:
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In order to distinguish between the two very similar species, the Colona Moth (Haploa colona) and the Reversed Haploa (Haploa reversa), the hindwings must be examined. Although the forewing patterns are frequently similar, the Colona Moth has orangish-yellow hindwings in contrast to the whitish hindwings of the Reversed Haploa.
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Virgin Tiger Moth (Grammia virgo)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on Chenopodium sp., clover, plantains, lettuce, and other low-growing plants.
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Wingspan:
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(4.5 - 7.0 cm) 1 3/4 - 2 3/4 in.
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Season:
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June - August
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Description:
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Black spots in the middle area of the reddish or yellow ("citrinaria" form) hindwing. Mating pair pictured here.
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Fall Webworm Moth (Hyphantria cunea)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae (Fall Webworms) are pests on greater than one-hundred species of trees, including hickory, walnut, ash, and oaks.
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Wingspan:
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2.5 - 3.9 cm (1 - 1 3/5 in.)
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Season:
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April - August
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Description:
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The pattern on the white wings varies from no spots to heavy grayish-brown spotting on the forewings and one to two blackish spots on the hindwings.
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Joyful Holomelina (Holomelina laeta)
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Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on lichens, grasses, and spike-rushes.
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Wingspan:
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2.9 - 3.7 cm (1 1/6 - 1 1/2 in.)
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Season:
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May - October
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Description:
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A prominent orange collar is located at the prothorax region of the bluish-black body of this moth. Forewings are blackish, and the hindwings are translucent, with the exception of the black wing venation and black outer margins.
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Subfamily Lithosiinae
  
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Painted Lichen Moth (Hypoprepia fucosa)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on lichens.
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Wingspan:
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2.5 - 3.5 cm (1 - 1 2/5 in.)
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Season:
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May - September
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Description:
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Three broad, gray stripes mark the surface of the reddish forewings. The leading edges and inner margin of the wings are yellow. The light pink hindwings are edged with gray.
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Black-and-Yellow Lichen Moth (Lycomorpha pholus)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on lichens.
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Wingspan:
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2.5 - 3.2 cm (1 - 1 3/10 in.)
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Season:
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July - Sept. (day-flier)
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Description:
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Yellowish-orange coloration is located at the base of the bluish-black forewings and hindwings. The body of this moth is black. Photograph courtesy of Dr. Jane Dunn.
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 crossett 3sept fg.jpg) 
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Packard's Lichen Moth (Cisthene packardii)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on lichens.
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Wingspan:
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1.4 - 1.9 cm (11/20 - 3/4 in.)
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Season:
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May - September
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Description:
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A yellow line extends from the base of the gray forewings and terminates in a rounded, yellow and pink spot near the anal angle. The outer edges of the forewings are bordered with yellow, which merges into a rounded patch near the tips of the wings.
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Little White Lichen Moth (Clemensia albata)
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Primary food plants:
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Larvae feed on lichens.
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Wingspan:
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1.6 - 2.4 cm (2/3 - 1 in.)
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Season:
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March - October
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Description:
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White forewings are flecked with brown and black and are crossed by somewhat distinct antemedial and postmedial lines. Note the conspicuous, black inner half of the gray reniform spot.
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