Sheep moth

Short description: Species of moth

Sheep moth

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Lepidoptera
Family:  | Saturniidae
Genus:  | Hemileuca
Species:  |

H. eglanterina

Binomial name
Hemileuca eglanterina

Boisduval, 1852

The sheep moth, or common sheep moth (Hemileuca eglanterina), is a member of the family Saturniidae of silk moths and is native to western North America. In California, its range is west of the Sierran crest[1] and the mountains of Southern California, ranging near to the coast.[2] The moth is dayflying and appears in summer.[1] It feeds on plants of three genera: Ceanothus, Rhamnus (including coffeeberry), and Rosa.[1][2] Nuttall's sheep moth and one other species are similar, occurring in sagebrush areas east of the Sierra Nevada.[1] The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1852.[3]

The sheep moth has a 5.5-8.5 centimeter wingspan and a relatively slender body. Its forewings are pink with a yellow streak in the middle and the hindwings are yellowish with variable black markings. There is an all-black form near Mount Shasta.[1] The larvae are black with branched yellowish spines that become orange in later development and an orange-brown head.[1]

## Gallery

* Adult on flower

* Adult laying eggs

* Caterpillar larva on bitterbrush.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Jerry A. Powell, Charles L. Hogue (1981). California Insects. University of California Press. pp. 230. ISBN 9780520037823. https://books.google.com/books?id=vE-u08itGrAC&pg=PA230&dq=sheep+moth.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Michael L. Charters (May 18, 2009). "Common sheep moth". Butterflies and Moths of Southern California. Sierra Madre, California. http://www.calflora.net/butterflies/commonsheepmoth.html. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
3. ↑ Savela, Markku. "Hemileuca eglanterina (Boisduval, 1852)". http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/bombycoidea/saturniidae/hemileucinae/hemileuca/#eglanterina. Retrieved November 9, 2018.

Wikidata ☰ Q2410277 entry

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