Native-pollinator-plant-interaction

Guides

• Euchaetes egle

  Milkweed Tussock Moth, Milkweed Tiger Moth

  Euchaetes egle is a tiger moth in the family Erebidae, commonly known as the milkweed tussock moth or milkweed tiger moth. The species is notable for its gregarious caterpillars that feed on milkweeds and dogbane, sequestering cardiac glycosides from their host plants for chemical defense. Adults produce ultrasonic clicks from tymbal organs to warn bats of their unpalatability, representing a rare case of acoustic aposematism. The species occurs across eastern North America with one generation annually in northern regions and two or more in southern areas.

  aposematismacoustic-defensetymbal-organMüllerian-mimicrycardiac-glycosidemilkweed-specialistgregarious-feedingbat-predationnative-pollinator-plant-interaction