Rosy Maple MothDryocampa rubicunda
Quick facts
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Active during
- Night
- Found in
- Lotsamoss Woods
- Length
- 0.7 in
- Wingspan
- 1.5 in
From the field notes
Diet
As caterpillars, they have a huge appetite for the green leaves of sugar and silver maple trees. The adult moths rely on the fat reserves from when they were caterpillars. In fact, the adults don't even have a mouth.
Defense
Their neon pink and yellow coloring looks like a flashy warning, but it is actually perfect camouflage. When resting in leaf litter, the moths blend into the fallen, reddish-pink seed pods of maple trees.
Mini Giants
These moths belong to the Saturniidae family, a group famous for colossal "giant silk moths" like the Luna and Regal moth. However, with a max wingspan of 1.25 - 2 inches, they are the smallest member of the family.
The Burrow
Instead of spinning a cuc cocoon on a high branch, the caterpillars climb down from the canopy and burrow into the soft dirt and fallen leaves to pupate safely underground.
Field Marks
If you see flying pieces of cotton candy, you are probably looking at the rosy maple moth.