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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Erebidae 930283 – 8127   Arctia plantaginis (Linnaeus, 1758)              Wood Tiger Moth

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Asteraceae Betulaceae Ericaceae Plantaginaceae Polygonaceae.  Host genera: Ambrosia Aster[unresolved] Betula Plantago Polygonum Rumex Vaccinium Vernonia.  Notes: polyphagous on various woody & herbaceous broad-leaved plants (Powell & Opler 2009); generalist on various herbaceous plants (Crabo et al 2014).  (Shropshire & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: plantaginis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Phalaena) - MONA 1983: 8127 ssp. a. plantaginis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Phalaena)  alascensis (Stretch, 1906) (Nemeophila)  alpicola (Scopoli, 1763) (Phalaena)  caespitis (Grote & Robinson, 1868) (Nemeophila)  cichorii (Grote & Robinson, 1868) (Nemeophila)  geddesi (Neumoegen, 1883) (Nemeophila)  geometrica (Grote, 1865) (Eupsychoma)  hospita ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) (Bombyx)  japonica (Inoue & Kobayashi, 1956) (Parasemia)  jezoensis (Inoue, 1976) (Parasemia)  leucomera (Butler, 1881) (Nemeophila)  macromera (Butler, 1881) (Nemeophila)  matronalis (Freyer, 1843) (Bombyx)  melanissima (Inoue, 1976) (Parasemia)  melanomera (Butler, 1881) (Nemeophila)  modesta (Packard, 1864) (Platarctia)  nicticans (Ménétriés, 1859) (Lithosia)  scudderii (Packard, 1864) (Platarctia)  selwynii (Edwards, 1885) (Nemeophila)  sifanica (Grum-Grschmaïlo, 1891) (Nemeophila)  stoetzneri (Bang-Haas, 1927) (Parasemia)  syfanica (Grum-Grschmaïlo, 1891) (Nemeophila) ssp. b. petrosa (Walker, 1855) (Nemeophila) Taxonomic Notes: Arctia plantaginis (Linnaeus, 1758) was transferred from the genus Parasemia n. syn. in Ronka et al. (2016).

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 47.1f, .2m, .3m, 04f; p. 268. Book Review and ordering Ronka, K., J. Mappes, L. Kaila, N. Wahlberg, 2016. Putting Parasemia in its phylogenetic place: a molecular analysis of the subtribe Arctiina (Lepidoptera). Systematic Entomology, 41(4): 844-853. Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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