The Woolly Gray Moth has a wingspan of 1 1/8 – 1 5/8 inches. The forewing of the male is gray with a grayish white or pale gray median area and black lines. The hindwing is grayish white or light gray with various dark scales. The body is hairy and gray with a conspicuous whitish band across the thorax and dark bands and spots on the abdomen. The adult females are wingless. The caterpillar is highly variable with at least a red form and a gray form with black, yellow, red and white patches. The head is peppered with small black spots. The mature caterpillar grows to 1.5 inches long. This moth was identified by volunteer experts at the BugGuide website.
The frequency of occurrence at Fontenelle Forest or Neale Woods is not known. The individuals shown here were photographed at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in late March. The males fly from early spring to June.
There are 3 species of Lycia in North America. The common food plants of the larva are apple, cherry, oak and other woody plants. There is one generation with mature caterpillars in early summer. The species overwinters as a pupa.
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