Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722
Anisota oslari
This record describes Anisota oslari (species). Recorded family: Saturniidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Larva - last instars are brick red. See photos at Moths of Southeastern Arizona in Internet References. Has been successfully crossed with A. senatoria in the lab. See Peigler & Williams in Print References.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Bombycoidea
- Family
- Saturniidae (Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths)
- Subfamily
- Ceratocampinae
- Genus
- Anisota
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Southwestern Colorado to west Texas, southern New Mexico and southern Arizona, south into Chihuahua, Mexico. Type locality: Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona (July).
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae are known to feed on oaks, including Mexican blue oak ( Quercus oblongifolia ), scrub oak ( Q. turbinella ), and Emory oak ( Q. emoryi ) ,
Life History
Eggs laid in clusters, young larvae feed gregariously.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Named in honor of professional insect collector Ernest J. Oslar, who collected the first specimens.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Anisota oslari. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tom Bentley; Additional contributions by Vox Sciurorum , Randy Hardy
Frequently Asked Questions About Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722
What is Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722?
Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722 (Anisota oslari) is a species in the family Saturniidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722?
Forewing length 2.2-4.0 cm.
How do you identify Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722?
Larva - last instars are brick red. See photos at Moths of Southeastern Arizona in Internet References.
Where is Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722 found?
Range: Southwestern Colorado to west Texas, southern New Mexico and southern Arizona, south into Chihuahua, Mexico. Type locality: Nogales, Santa Cruz County, Arizona (July).
What does Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722 eat?
The diet of the Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722 includes Larvae are known to feed on oaks, including Mexican blue oak ( Quercus oblongifolia ), scrub oak ( Q. turbinella ), and Emory oak ( Q. emoryi ) ,.
What is the life cycle of a Oslar's Oakworm Moth - Hodges#7722?
Eggs laid in clusters, young larvae feed gregariously.