Ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea)

Published on Project Noah

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Field Notes

Description:

This ermine moth has as host larval plants the Paradise Tree and Tree-of-Heaven.They mate at dawn and lay eggs at dusk.Larvae produce nests on the host plant by pulling leaflets around a network of loose webbing. The larvae eat leaves, flowers, seeds, and even bark. The adult moth visits flowers, is diurnal, and is a pollinator.

Habitat:

Thought to be native to South Florida and the American tropics (south to Costa Rica). It,does not survive cold winters, but migrates north each year and is seen in summer throughout the continental US, and occasionally eastern Canada.

Notes:

Thank you, Livan and Nuwan!

Reference Links:

Ailanthus webworm, Arthropod Museum, Dept. of Entomology, University of Arkansas

Species ID Suggestions