Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158
Phragmatobia assimilans
This record describes Phragmatobia assimilans (species). Recorded family: Erebidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing opaque dark reddish-brown with dark speckling and faint black AM, PM, and ST lines; female larger and darker with more prominent forewing pattern; hindwing reddish or pinkish with broad black terminal band but no black shading along costa. [adapted from description by Charles Covell]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Erebidae
- Subfamily
- Arctiinae
- Tribe
- Arctiini
- Genus
- Phragmatobia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Moist open habitats in deciduous and mixed forest.
Geographic Range
Coast to coast in northern United States and southern Canada Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data.
Seasonal Activity
Adults fly from late April to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larvae feed on leaves of Balsam Poplar ( Populus balsamifera ), raspberry, White Birch ( Betula papyrifera ) - and have been reared on dandelion and plantain. Also Apocynaceae (HOSTS).
Life History
One generation per year.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Phragmatobia assimilans. 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 Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , Maury Heiman , marcie oconnor
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158
What is Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158?
Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158 (Phragmatobia assimilans) is a species in the family Erebidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158?
Wingspan 35-42 mm.
How do you identify Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158?
Adult: forewing opaque dark reddish-brown with dark speckling and faint black AM, PM, and ST lines; female larger and darker with more prominent forewing pattern; hindwing reddish or pinkish with broad black terminal band but no black shading along costa. [adapted from description by Charles Covell]
Where is Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Moist open habitats in deciduous and mixed forest. |
| Range | Coast to coast in northern United States and southern Canada Moth Photographers Group - large map with some distribution data. |
What does Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158 eat?
The diet of the Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158 includes Larvae feed on leaves of Balsam Poplar ( Populus balsamifera ), raspberry, White Birch ( Betula papyrifera ) - and have been reared on dandelion and plantain. Also Apocynaceae (HOSTS)..
When is Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158 active?
Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158: seasonal activity - Adults fly from late April to August..
What is the life cycle of a Large Ruby Tiger Moth - Hodges#8158?
One generation per year.