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| Western tussock moth | |
|---|---|
| |
| Western Tussock Moth caterpillar on madrone or manzanita, San Mateo County, California, 2022 | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Erebidae |
| Genus: | Orgyia |
| Species: | O. vetusta
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| Binomial name | |
| Orgyia vetusta Boisduval, 1852
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Orgyia vetusta, also known as the western tussock moth, formerly Hemerocampa vetusta, is a moth found in the Pacific States and British Columbia. The species is dimorphic; the females are flightless.
The Western tussock moth is reported on virtually all California oak species as well as various fruit and nut trees, ceanothus, hawthorn, manzanita, pyracantha, toyon, walnut, and willow.[1] There is an isolated population in Boise County, Idaho.[citation needed] This species has also been seen in U.S. gulf coast states such as Louisiana.[citation needed].
Life history
[edit]Tussock moth eggs are white and are laid in a mass, which overwinters.[2] The female covers the eggs with setae.[3] The caterpillars emerge in early spring (February-May)[4][3] and exhibit minimal disperse via ballooning, a process by while caterpillars hang from silk threads and are spread by wind.[5] This is also observed in other species within the family Erebidae, such as Lymantria dispar dispar.[6] Larvae have hairs that may cause minor skin irritation or allergic reactions in humans.[7] Adults emerge from cocoons between June and August.[4]
Human Interactions
[edit]Pest Status
[edit]Tussock moth caterpillars can cause damage to citrus orchards in Southern California.[8]
Additional images
[edit]-
Male moth -
Male moth -
Tussock larva on coast live oak
References
[edit]- ^ Swiecki, Tedmund J.; Bernhardt, Elizabeth A. (2006). A Field Guide to Insects and Diseases of California Oaks. Pacific Southwest Research Station (Report). Gen. Tech Rep. PSW-GTR-197. Albany, California: U.S. Forest Service Treesearch Department. p. 24. doi:10.2737/PSW-GTR-197.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Tussock Moths / Home and Landscape / UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM)". ipm.ucanr.edu. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ^ a b "Species Spotlight: Western Tussock Moth (Orgyia vetusta) - Cabrillo National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ^ a b Brodmann, Paul A.; Wilcox, Chris V.; Harrison, Susan (1997). "Mobile Parasitoids may Restrict the Spatial Spread of an Insect Outbreak". Journal of Animal Ecology. 66 (1): 65–72. doi:10.2307/5965. ISSN 0021-8790. JSTOR 5965.
- ^ Bell, J. R.; Bohan, D. A.; Shaw, E. M.; Weyman, G. S. (April 2005). "Ballooning dispersal using silk: world fauna, phylogenies, genetics and models". Bulletin of Entomological Research. 95 (2): 69–114. doi:10.1079/BER2004350. ISSN 1475-2670.
- ^ "Spongy Moth". agri.ohio.gov. Archived from the original on 5 August 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ^ "White-Marked Tussock Moth Caterpillar Outbreaks". bygl.osu.edu. 27 June 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ^ "Western Tussock Moth / Citrus / Agriculture: Pest Management Guidelines / UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM)". ipm.ucanr.edu. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- USDA Forest Pest Leaflet 120
- Stanford University Grounds Services: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Releasing Beneficial Insects to Control Tussock Moth Populations at Stanford University Archived 2 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- Note to caterpillars dangling under the oaks: Meet the beetles
 | This article on a moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |