The Vestal moth has a wingspan of about 1 inch. The front of the head and forelegs are yellowish-brown to orange. The wings may be pure white or white with light gray speckling and faint traces of yellowish or grayish-brown lines crossing the wings. The male’s antennae are bipectinate. The larva has a green form and a brown form. The caterpillar is almost identical to the Yellow-dusted Cream Moth caterpillar. Identification should be based on the adult moth
The Vestal has been photographed once at Fontenelle Forest in late April 2015. Adults fly from May to September and are attracted to lights. This species is found in all of North America except the Yukon and Alaska.
The larvae feed on the leaves of willow especially, but also cherry and poplar. The species has 2 to 3 generations a year and overwinters as a pupa. Another name for this species is Pink-striped Willow Spanworm.
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