HOME | DD

Description
The Giant Leopard Moth or Eyed Tiger Moth (Hypercompe scribonia) is a moth of the family Arctiidae. It is distributed throughout the Southern and Eastern United States from New England to Mexico. The obsolete name Ecpantheria scribonia is still occasionally encountered.

The caterpillar is of the "Woolly Bear" kind, with a thick coat of black bristles (setae) and red or orange colored bands between its segments which become conspicuous when caterpillar rolls into a ball for defense. image of 'cat' [link]

This species has a wingspan of 3 inches (nearly 8 cm). The wings of this moth are bright white with a pattern of neat black blotches, some solid and some hollow. The abdomen is dark blue with orange markings, the male has a narrow yellow line on the sides. Its legs have black and white bands. Adult moths are strictly nocturnal and do not generally fly before nightfall

Zipper my cat found this outstanding specimen the other night, and did little damage to it, but I still didn't want it hurt. And once I looked her over, she showed to have some outstanding color. However she was obviously newly emerged, and was still working on 'filling herself out.' I took Zipper and the other cats, put them downstairs, and tried to get the moth to 'pose' for me on a nice backdrop, but she was having non of it. And when she wasn't trying to 'run' away, (didn't even attempt flight) she tucked in her head, and just laid still, exhausted. The 'cats' of these moths have a bit of an attitude when they are not rolled up into their black spiky ball-like defense, and she was no different as an adult. All business. So I got out the zoom/macro lens and began to take pictures of her on my kitchen floor. -And WOW< did she ever stand out among her kind!! Bejeweled and dressed like a queen!

Description
The Giant Leopard Moth or Eyed Tiger Moth (Hypercompe scribonia) is a moth of the family Arctiidae. It is distributed throughout the Southern and Eastern United States from New England to Mexico. The obsolete name Ecpantheria scribonia is still occasionally encountered.

The caterpillar is of the "Woolly Bear" kind, with a thick coat of black bristles (setae) and red or orange colored bands between its segments which become conspicuous when caterpillar rolls into a ball for defense. image of 'cat' [link]

This species has a wingspan of 3 inches (nearly 8 cm). The wings of this moth are bright white with a pattern of neat black blotches, some solid and some hollow. The abdomen is dark blue with orange markings, the male has a narrow yellow line on the sides. Its legs have black and white bands. Adult moths are strictly nocturnal and do not generally fly before nightfall

Zipper my cat found this outstanding specimen the other night, and did little damage to it, but I still didn't want it hurt. And once I looked her over, she showed to have some outstanding color. However she was obviously newly emerged, and was still working on 'filling herself out.' I took Zipper and the other cats, put them downstairs, and tried to get the moth to 'pose' for me on a nice backdrop, but she was having non of it. And when she wasn't trying to 'run' away, (didn't even attempt flight) she tucked in her head, and just laid still, exhausted. The 'cats' of these moths have a bit of an attitude when they are not rolled up into their black spiky ball-like defense, and she was no different as an adult. All business. So I got out the zoom/macro lens and began to take pictures of her on my kitchen floor. -And WOW< did she ever stand out among her kind!! Bejeweled and dressed like a queen!