Delicate Cycnia Moth
Common NameDelicate Cycnia Moth
Scientific NameCycnia tenera
FamilyErebidae
SubfamilyArctiinae
Wingspan (mm)30
Wing Patternsolid
Primary Colorswhite, yellow, black
HabitatOpen woodlands, fields, meadows, suburban areas
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from southern Canada to Florida and Texas
Host Plantsmilkweed (Asclepias spp.), dogbane (Apocynum spp.)
Flight PeriodMay to September (often two broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are woolly bear caterpillars, typically dark with tufts of hair, and feed on milkweed. They pupate in a silken cocoon, often incorporating their own hairs.
Identification TipsLook for the combination of pale, almost transparent wings with bright yellow costal margins and a yellow body marked with a dorsal row of black spots. The antennae are feathery, especially in males.
Description
This moth has delicate, translucent white or pale gray wings with a distinctive yellow leading edge (costa) on the forewings. Its fuzzy body is bright yellow with a prominent row of black spots along the dorsal abdomen.
