Pheromone-biology
Guides
Estigmene
Ermine Moths
Estigmene is a genus of tiger moths in the family Erebidae, erected by Jacob Hübner in 1820. Species in this genus are native to North and Central America. The genus has undergone taxonomic revision, with many African and Asian species formerly included now separated into different genera. The most well-known species is Estigmene acrea, commonly called the saltmarsh caterpillar or woollybear, which is a widespread generalist herbivore and occasional agricultural pest.
Hemileuca maia
buck moth
Hemileuca maia, commonly known as the buck moth, is a saturniid moth native to eastern North America. The species has expanded its range northward in recent decades. Adults are diurnal and do not feed. Larvae feed gregariously on oak foliage and possess urticating spines capable of causing painful reactions in humans and animals. The species has one generation per year, with eggs overwintering on host twigs. Recent taxonomic research has clarified the complex evolutionary relationships within the H. maia-nevadensis species complex, elevating several previously synonymized populations to species status.
Lambdina
Lambdina is a genus of geometrid moths comprising approximately ten described species distributed in North America. Several species are significant forest defoliators, particularly the hemlock looper (L. fiscellaria) and its subspecies, which cause economically damaging outbreaks in coniferous forests. The genus exhibits typical geometrid morphology with larvae commonly referred to as loopers due to their characteristic looping gait. Species within Lambdina can be distinguished by host associations, flight periods, and overwintering stages.
Platyptilia
plume moths
Platyptilia is a genus of plume moths (family Pterophoridae) established by Jacob Hübner in 1825. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive wing structure, with wings divided into several feathery plumes. The genus contains numerous species distributed across multiple continents, with several species documented as agricultural pests. Well-studied species include the artichoke plume moth (P. carduidactyla) and the geranium plume moth (P. pica), both of which have been subjects of detailed behavioral and chemical ecology research.