Virginia ctenucha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Virginia ctenucha |
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The Ctenucha virginica, also known as the Virginia ctenucha, is a type of moth from the Erebidae family. A scientist named Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper first described this species in 1794. It's a colorful moth found across many parts of North America.
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What Does the Virginia Ctenucha Look Like?
The Virginia ctenucha is a medium-sized moth. Its wings can spread about 40 to 50 millimeters wide (that's about 1.5 to 2 inches). The wings are usually black or a dark olive-brown color. However, the moth's body really stands out because it's a shiny, metallic blue-green! Its head is a bright yellow-orange, and it has antennae that look like tiny feathers.
The Caterpillar Stage
Before it becomes a moth, it starts as a caterpillar. The Virginia ctenucha caterpillar is about 20 to 25 millimeters long. It's covered in many fluffy tufts of white and yellow hair. These caterpillars go through a big change called metamorphosis, usually between May and August, to become adult moths.
Where Does the Virginia Ctenucha Live?
This moth is originally from eastern North America. You can find it from Newfoundland in the north all the way down to Virginia in the south. In the last 60 years, it has started to spread west. Now, you can even find it in the Canadian Rockies and in all of Canada's provinces!
What Does the Virginia Ctenucha Eat?
What the Caterpillars Eat
The young moths, or larvae (caterpillars), enjoy eating different kinds of plants. They munch on various grasses, irises, and sedges.
What the Adult Moths Eat
When they become adult moths, they drink nectar from flowers. A favorite flower for them is Goldenrod.
Similar Moths
Sometimes, the Virginia ctenucha can be confused with other moths. One similar species is the Cisseps fulvicollis, also known as the yellow-collared scape moth.
Images for kids
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