Hypercompe suffusa
Schaus, 1889
Hypercompe suffusa is a tiger moth in the Erebidae, first described by Schaus in 1889. It belongs to the Hypercompe, which includes several large, strikingly patterned tiger moths commonly known as giant leopard moths or their caterpillars as woolly bears. The species is native to North America. Specific details about its and remain poorly documented in accessible literature.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Hypercompe suffusa: /haɪˈpɜːrkəmpe sʌˈfjuːsə/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Distribution
North America. Records indicate presence in the region, though specific range boundaries are not well documented in the provided sources.
Similar Taxa
- Hypercompe scriboniaSimilar usage (giant leopard ) and caterpillar ; H. scribonia is better documented with black, spiny caterpillars that curl into defensive balls.
- Pyrrharctia isabellaBoth are tiger moths with banded woolly bear caterpillars; P. isabella is the familiar banded woolly bear with weather folklore associations.
- Estigmene acreaSaltmarsh caterpillar is another tiger moth with hairy, often orange caterpillars that can be confused with Hypercompe in the field.
More Details
Taxonomic Note
Originally described as Arachnis suffusa by Schaus in 1889, later transferred to Hypercompe. The Hypercompe currently resides in Erebidae ( Arctiinae) following reclassification of former family .
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- UC Davis Lecture by Science Journalist Richard Harris: Why You Shouldn't Miss This | Bug Squad
- Species Records and Accounts
- Specklewinged Grasshopper
- Grasshoppers of Wyoming and the West
- Dashing caterpillars predicting weather- Woolly bears, Pyrrharctia isabella, saltmarsh caterpillar, Estigmene acrea, and leopard moths, Hypercompe scribonia — Bug of the Week
- Dashing caterpillars predicting weather and preparing for winter: Banded woolly bear, Pyrrharctia Isabella, Giant woolly bear, Hypercompe scribonia, and Saltmarsh caterpillar, Estigmene acrea — Bug of the Week