Virginia ctenucha

(Ctenucha virginica)

Hodges #

8262

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 
Virginia ctenucha
Photo by Babette Kis
 
Description

Virginia ctenucha is a colorful, medium-sized moth. It is the largest wasp moth in North America. The adult is 15 16to 1 1 16 long and has a wingspan of 1 9 16 to 2.

The abdomen is metallic blue. The thorax is black and metallic blue. There are yellowish-orange scales on the sides of the first section of the thorax (prothorax) forming a collar. The collar does not extend across the upper (dorsal) surface of the prothorax.

The forewings are dark grayish-brown with a metallic blue sheen at the base. The leading edge of the forewing (costa) is dark grayish-brown.

The hindwings, not visible when perched, are smaller and black. Both wings have a short fringe that is at least partially white.

The head is yellowish-orange. The antennae are feather-like with branches only on one side of most segments.

The caterpillar is to 1 9 16 long. The thorax and abdomen are nearly black. There is a broken, cream-colored subdorsal stripe and a broken, white, subspiracular stripe. On later instars the body is mostly hidden beneath dense tufts of long, stiff hairs (seta). Middle instar caterpillars lack these long white seta. There is a center (middorsal) row of black tufts flanked by rows of white, blond, or yellow tufts. The black tufts may be obscured by the longer flanking tufts. The head is orange to red except for a black triangular area between the eyes (frons). The abdominal leg-like structures (prolegs) are reddish. Mature caterpillars are found in May to early June and again in the fall.

 

Size

Wingspan: 1 9 16 to 2

Total length: 15 16to 1 1 16

 

Similar Species

Yellow-collared scape moth (Cisseps fulvicollis) is smaller and has much narrower wings. The discal area of the hindwing is translucent. The basal half of the costa is yellow. The thorax is black. The yellowish-orange collar extends evenly across the nape of the neck.

Habitat

Moist, open, grassy fields and meadows.

Biology

Season

One generation: Mid-June to late July

 

Behavior

Adults fly primarily during the day, but are also attracted to light at night.

 

Life Cycle

Caterpillars overwinter beneath leaf litter or matted grass.

 

Larva Hosts

Mostly grasses, but also sedges and irises.

 

Adult Food

Flower nectar

 

Defense Adaptations

This and other Ctenuchid moths have three adaptations that help to protect them from predators; aposematism, sound production, and pyrrolizidine alkaloid sequestration.

Aposematism: The metallic blue color of the thorax and abdomen mimics wasps which may be noxious to predators.

Sound production: A specialized (tymbal), corrugated region on the third section of the thorax (metathorax) produces ultrasonic sounds which interfere with (“jam”) the sonar of moth-eating bats.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid sequestration: Caterpillars acquire and retain naturally produced toxic chemicals (pyrrolizidine alkaloids) from the plants they eat.

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

6/17/2025    
     

Occurrence

Widespread and common

Taxonomy

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Superfamily

Noctuoidea (owlet moths and allies)

Family

Erebidae (underwing, tiger, tussock, and allied moths)

Subfamily

Arctiinae (tiger moths and allies)

Tribe

Arctiini (tiger moths)

Subtribe

Ctenuchina (handmaidens)

Genus

Ctenucha

   

In 2011 the family Arctiidae (tiger moths and lichen moths) was transferred to the family Erebidae mostly intact but demoted to a subfamily. The former subfamilies are now tribes, the former tribes now subtribes.

   

Subordinate Taxa

 

   

Synonyms

Ctenucha latreilliana

   

Common Names

Virginia ctenucha

Virginia ctenucha moth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Collar

In grasses: The area on the back of a grass leaf at the junction of the sheath and the blade. On moths: the upperside of the prothorax.

 

Costa

In plants: The central axis of a pinna, to which pinnules are attached. In Lepidoptera: The leading edge of the forewing.

 

Proleg

A fleshy structure on the abdomen of some insect larvae that functions as a leg, but lacks the five segments of a true insect leg.

 

Prothorax

The first (forward) segment of the thorax on an insect, bearing the first pair of legs but not wings.

 

Seta

A usually rigid bristle- or hair-like outgrowth on butterflies and moths used to sense touch. Plural: setae.

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

Share your photo of this insect.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.

Kaylan Petrie

Virginia ctenucha

spotted in grassy field near organic farm

Babette Kis

Virginia ctenucha   Virginia ctenucha
     
Virginia ctenucha    

Bobbi Johnson

Virginia ctenucha

Was found in my newly made garden.

Luciearl

Virginia ctenucha

Dan W. Andree

Virginia ctenucha

Alfredo Colon

A beautiful Moth... from Lake Elmo Park Reserve, MN

Virginia ctenucha   Virginia ctenucha
     
Virginia ctenucha    

Bill Reynolds

Virginia ctenucha

Virginia Ctenucha on Virgin Bower

MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
Virginia ctenucha   Virginia ctenucha

Adult

 

Adult

     
Virginia ctenucha   Virginia ctenucha

Adult

 

Adult

     

 

Virginia ctenucha   Virginia ctenucha

Middle instar caterpillar

 

Middle instar caterpillar

     
Virginia ctenucha   Virginia ctenucha

Middle instar caterpillar

 

Middle instar caterpillar

     
Virginia ctenucha    

Middle instar caterpillar

 

 

 

Camera

Slideshows

Virginia Ctenucha Moth
Andree Reno Sanborn

Virginia Ctenucha Moth
About

Ctenucha virginica

larva:

bugguide.net/node/view/72418

Ctenucha virginica (Virginia Ctenucha)
Allen Chartier

Ctenucha virginica (Virginia Ctenucha)

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

Share your video of this insect.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.

 

 

 
 
Other Videos

Virginia Ctenucha Moth (Arctiidae: Ctenucha virginica) with Mosquito
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Jun 14, 2010

Sometimes the mosquitoes in North Dakota are so numerous that they must occasionally find places to perch on other insects. ;-) Photographed at Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (14 June 2010).

Ctenucha Virginica moth feeding on Apocynum cannabinnum
Meena Haribal

About

Uploaded on Jun 30, 2009

In late June and July day flying moth Ctenucha virginca, commonly called Ctenucha moth of Arctidae are seen commonly nectaring on flowers of Asclepias. Apocynum, sweet clover etc. The blue on the head and shoulder, to me looks like hind of a frog, may be a poisonous dendrobid frog.

Virginia Ctenucha Moth (Arctiidae: Ctenucha virginica) Male on Leaf
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Jun 17, 2010

Photographed at the Rydell NWR, Minnesota (16 June 2010).

Virginia Ctenucha Moth (Erebidae: Ctenucha virginica) on Grass
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Jul 3, 2011

Photographed at Nisswa, Minnesota (01 July 2011).

Virginia Ctenucha Moth, Ctenucha virginica
brainphog

About

Published on Feb 9, 2014

This beautiful Virginia Ctenucha Moth was in my garden feeding on some Echinacea purpurea 'Prairie Splendor'.

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

Report a sighting of this insect.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.

Kaylan Petrie
6/16/2025

Location: Manton, MI

spotted in grassy field near organic farm

Virginia ctenucha
Jean Fenton
6/29/2023

Location: E7140 610th AVE, Elk Mound, WI

I … the electric blue body when it spreads its wings

Bobbi Johnson
7/10/2021

Location: Silver Bay, MN

Was found in my newly made garden.

Virginia ctenucha
Babette Kis
6/7/2021

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Virginia ctenucha

Luciearl
5/23/2020

Location: Cass (Cty Rd 77)

Virginia ctenucha
Adliner
6/21/2018

Location: Woodbury, MN

This moth is beautiful. It was resting on a milk weed plant in my garden

Alfredo Colon
6/10/2018

Location: Lake Elmo Park Reserve, MN

A beautiful Moth...

Virginia ctenucha
Babette Kis
11/28/2017

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Virginia ctenucha

Dan W. Andree
2016

Location: Taken in an area of mixed woods near a tributary to the Wild Rice River in Norman County, Mn.

Virginia ctenucha
Bill Reynolds
7/21/2006

Location: Pennington Co.

Virginia Ctenucha on Virgin Bower

Virginia ctenucha
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created: 9/28/2014

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us