People typically think of moths as pests and try to keep them from coming into their homes. Those people clearly have never met Dryocampa rubicunda, also called the rosy maple moth.
Moths are generally pests and people try all ways to keep them away. However, people who have not seen the rosy maple moth, going with the scientific name as Dryocampa Rubicunda, will surely be taken in for a pleasant surprise by looking at these photos of the lovely moth. Colorful in nature, this insect is native to the eastern regions of North America and now, it will definitely take a place in your heart after you see its photos.
The rosy maple moth exists in different colors. However, one particular sub-specie has a striking resemblance to Battenberg cakes. Don’t you think they look similar?
The color of this insect is brilliant. The name of this insect is from the diet from the early days of their life, as they only feed on maple leaves. However, on hitting adulthood, they stop eating altogether. They are highly solitary, as they end up flying solo most of their lives. They are generally active only for a few hours in the evening.
Rosy maple moths are native to North America. The northern extent of their range is in southern Canada, and they have been recorded in southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. They range down the East Coast of the United States through most of Florida. Their range extends west to Michigan, Indiana, Texas, Kansas, and Nebraska.
Rosy maple moths inhabit temperate deciduous forests of eastern North America. They are most often associated with red maples (Acer rubrum), sugar maples (Acer saccharum), silver maples (Acer saccharinum), turkey oaks (Quercus laevis) and box elder maples (Acer negundo). Depending on where their host trees are, rosy maple moths have also been found in suburban areas.
Adult rosy maple moths are extremely variable in color. Coloration in adults can range from unmarked white to bright yellow with dark pink maculation. The woolly body of rosy maple moths varies in color from bright yellow, to cream, to white. Their ventral side, legs, and antennae are usually rose pink. Upper wing color is also very variable; ranging from yellow to cream, to white with pink at the margins and bases of the wing. The amount of pink maculation on the wings ranges from dominant to nearly absent. Polymorphism does occur within different geographic regions. Unique to Missouri, subspecies alba is either all white or white with very faint pink maculation.
Rosy maple moth caterpillars, also known as green-striped mapleworms, have different coloration depending on their stage of development. Early stage larvae have black heads and bodies that are yellowish-cream with faint longitudinal green stripes. Fully-grown caterpillars have beige to bright red heads. Their bodies are yellow-green with seven dark green lines running lengthwise. The longitudinal line coloration can also range from frosty blue to blue green, or black. Prominent black horns are located dorsally on the second thoracic segment. Two rows of short spines run along each side of the body and the terminal abdominal segments have four larger spines. Other moths in the same family (Saturniidae) have similar horned larvae, but lack the stunning color of rosy maple moths. They are incredibly cute. Which makes you feel like cuddling with them. Wouldn’t you want an insect like this in your house?
