Moths of North Carolina
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Halysidota Members:
770 NC Records

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

Halysidota tessellarisHalysidota tessellaris
view caption 		Halysidota tessellaris
view caption 		Halysidota tessellaris
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, BOLDTechnical 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.
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.
Halysidota tessellaris
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). In North Carolina, they have been recorded feeding on Box-elder (Acer negundo), hickory (Carya), Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli), American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), ash (Fraxinus), 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 [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

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

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: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-16
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-16
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-07-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-09
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25
McDowell Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Terrell Tucker on 2024-06-22
Moore Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-19
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-17
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-14
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-06-01
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-05-29
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-28
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-28
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-28
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-05-16
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-15
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-05-14
Buncombe Co.
Comment: