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Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012) | Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD | Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Ferguson (1978) | Technical Description, Immature Stages: Both Forbes (1948) and Ferguson (1978) provide keys to the larvae. | |
| Adult Markings: Males have a smooth, greenish-gray median area without much white shading towards the costa; the basal and subterminal areas are shaded with brown but not contrasting with the rest of the wing (Forbes, 1948). The antemedian is black and strongly dentate and the postmedian is slightly dentate with a tooth at M3 and generally convex above that point to the costa. Forms with black bars are common, which in this species are thin and sharply pointed -- easily distinguishing this species when present. Hind-wings are dark fuscous. Females are larger and have more extensive white areas over the cell but are otherwise similar in color. In barred forms, there may be additional dark streaks along the veins. |
| Adult Structural Features: Dasychira species have two dorsal tufts on their abdomens, whereas Orgyia have just one. Adults lack mouthparts. The genitalia of the males differ slightly from those of tephra and dorsipennata but probably cannot be reliably identified based on those characteristics (Ferguson, 1978). |
| Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens. |
| Immatures and Development: Larvae are uniformly grayish-brown and lack hair pencils at the posterior end (Ferguson, 1978). Also absent are the club-like setae located on sides of the thorax and abdomen. The first dorsal abdominal tuft is darker than the next three but similar to the posterior dorsal tuft. |
| Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants. |