Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Halysidota Members:	794 NC Records

Halysidota tessellaris (J.E. Smith, 1797) - Banded Tussock Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Arctiinae

Tribe:
Arctiini

P3 Number:
930360

MONA Number:
8203.00

Other Common Name:
Pale Tussock Moth

Comments: One of five species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schimdt, 20010), three of which have been recorded in North Carolina

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: Adults of all three of our species of Halysidota are highly similar to one another, possessing long, pointed wings that are translucent yellow and marked with bands of slightly darker, offset cells forming a tessellated pattern. The markings of tessellaris and harrisii are virtually identical and they cannot be identified based on photographs alone (in some cases, we assume an individual is tessellaris if found at a site far from any Sycamores).

Forewing Length: 23-27 mm, males (Watson, 1980)

Adult Structural Features: Males of tesselaris can be distinguished from harrisii by the slightly different shapes to the tips of their valves, which can be seen by brushing away the scales at the ends of the abdomens (see illustration in Forbes, 1960, and Watson, 1980). In tesselaris, the upper, costal process extends farther distally than the lower, saccular process, with the situation reversed in harrisii. The valves of tessellaris are also less incurved than those of harrisii, which can sometimes be detected without dissection. No characters are known that distinguish the females of these two species.

Structural photos

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Larvae, in contrast to the adults, are easy to tell apart: those of tesselaris are yellowish-brown to gray, with conspicuous white and black pencils at the anterior end (Forbes, 1960; Wagner, 2005); larvae of harrisii are yellowish or white with white and rust colored anterior pencils.

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Probably occurs statewide, though we are missing records for a number of counties in the coastal plain (which may just be a result of undersampling in this area).

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Appears to have two flights in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont but probably just one in the Mountains

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: With the exception of peatlands, where we have only a single record, H. tessellaris uses virtually all habitats found in the state, from maritime scrub and forests on the barrier islands, to Longleaf Pine habitats, bottomland hardwoods, to xeric sandhills, barrens and upland ridges and summits.

Larval Host Plants: The larvae are polyphagous on woody shrubs and trees (Wagner, 2005). As of 2025, they have been found in North Carolina feeding on Box-elder (Acer negundo), Sweet Birch (Betula lenta), hickory (Carya), Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), ash (Fraxinus), American Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Black Willow (Salix nigra), and Winged Elm (Ulmus alata), and likely use many other hosts. The adults commonly visit milkweeds at night and may be important pollinators. Frost (1965) examined 1,911 specimens that were captured in light traps and found that 290 specimens had milkweed pollinia attached to them. - View

Observation Methods: Comes well to blacklights, with over 30 individuals collected in single traps. Adults feed on flowers beginning at dusk (Forbes, 1960) and for the first few hours after dark, but we have only one record from bait.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Forests and Shrublands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands

Comments: Ubiquitous, abundant, and widespread across the entire state, this is one of our most secure species

Photo Gallery for Halysidota tessellaris - Banded Tussock Moth

167 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Cami Gregg on 2025-10-05 Moore Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-09-19 Madison Co. Comment: Larva was feeding on Witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).
	Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-09-18 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Nora Murdock on 2025-09-06 Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-30 Richmond Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-10 Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-10 Ashe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-03 Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-26 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-29 Richmond Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-25 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-22 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-05-08 Harnett Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Miles Buddy on 2025-04-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger and Miles Buddy on 2025-04-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-15 Bladen Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-10-16 Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-21 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-09-08 Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-08-28 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn on 2024-08-22 Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-06 Mitchell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-05 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-29 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-29 Wilson Co. Comment: