Zig-Zag Furcula Moth - (Furcula scolopendrina)

A robust body, feathery tufts of hair, woolly legs and conspicuous markings make the Zig-Zag Furcula Moth one to look for at nightfall.

Staff Writer (1/25/2017): The Zig-Zag Furcula Moth is strictly nocturnal, only becoming active at sundown. It is attracted to lights at night. They prefer wet deciduous forests, but span the western part of the continent from Canada and into Mexico. They are most active in flight in the summer months, but may been seen as early as mid-spring.

Caterpillars are shaped like a rolled leaf. The rear of the caterpillar extends into a long 'stem'. The head of the caterpillar is large and flat in front, as if mimicking a flat edge of a leaf torn in half. The plump, hairless larva changes colors and pattern as it matures. They can be green with brown spots on the dorsal side (back), or yellow/tan with a larger brown spot draping it. Small eyespots dot the sides of the body. The larval caterpillar feeds on the leaves of popular trees like birch, cottonwood and willows.

©2005-2017 www.InsectIdentification.org. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction Permitted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from www.InsectIdentification.org is strictly prohibited. Material presented throughout this website is for entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for scientific research or medical advice (insect bites, etc...). Please consult licensed, degreed professionals for such information. Email corrections / Comments to InsectIdentification at Gmail dot com.

Details of the:
Zig-Zag Furcula Moth

Category: Butterfly or Moth
Common name: Zig-Zag Furcula Moth
Scientific Name: Furcula scolopendrina

Taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lepidoptera

Family: Notodontidae

Genus: Furcula

Species: scolopendrina

Size (Adult, Length): 17mm to 20mm (0.67in to 0.79in)

Identifying Colors: white, black, gray, orange

Additional Descriptors: flying, band, stripe, spots, arc, semicircle

North American Reach (Though Not Limited To*): Alaska; Arizona; California; Colorado; Idaho; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Mexico; North Dakota; Oklahoma; Oregon; South Dakota; ; Texas; Utah; Washington; Wyoming; Alberta; British Columbia; Manitoba; Quebec; Saskatchewan; Mexico

* Keep in mind that an insect's reach is not limited by lines on a map and therefore may appear in areas/regions/states beyond those listed above.

BUGFINDER: What Kind of Bug is This...

BUGFINDER allows for a quick search of the Insect Identification database by selecting primary color, secondary color, number of legs and the territory / state in question. If only one color is present on your insect, select it again as its SECONDARY color. Remember that the more details you can offer, the better your chances of finding a match. As a rule of thumb, six legs are typical for most insects whereas spiders generally have eight legs.

Primary Color:

Secondary Color:

Number of Legs:

State / Province:

General Category: