Wild-silk-moth
Guides
Anisota fuscosa
Anisota fuscosa is a moth species in the family Saturniidae, described by Ferguson in 1971. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Anisota stigma. The genus Anisota includes several species of wild silk moths whose caterpillars are known as oakworms, feeding primarily on oak foliage. These caterpillars are gregarious feeders and can cause localized defoliation of host trees. Adults are typically active in spring and summer, with larvae descending to soil to pupate and overwinter.
Anisota virginiensis discolor
pink-striped oakworm
Anisota virginiensis discolor is a subspecies of the pink-striped oakworm, a wild silk moth in the family Saturniidae. The larvae are gregarious feeders on oak foliage, capable of causing localized heavy defoliation. Caterpillars are visually distinctive with pink or orange longitudinal stripes and fleshy horns behind the head. The subspecies is part of a complex of oak-feeding Anisota species that periodically reach outbreak levels, though damage is typically aesthetic rather than causing long-term tree harm.