🚨 ARTHROPOD OF THE DAY 🚨

The Milkweed Tussock belonging to the Erebidae family was described in 1773 by British collector Dru Drury. It has a wide range, occupying different parts of North America. These moths acquire the name milkweed from their host plants. The larvae and even the adult moths are equipped with chemical defenses, obtained from the milkweed plants, which have toxic substances. This makes them poisonous for their potential predators, yet they stand beneficial enough for the ecosystem.

Their wings, whether opened or closed, mostly have a dull gray coloration without prominent markings. However, some specimens have a faint, dark line on the forewing.

Besides this, they also have a yellow hairy abdomen, with black dots arranged in rows on the dorsal region.

The larva grows to about 3.5 cm with the early instars being gray and a little hairy. Then, they appear like yellow tubes with black heads. As the caterpillar matures and reaches the late instar stage, its body is marked with orange, black, and white stripes.