Bug FAQBanded Tussock Moth
Halysidota tessellaris · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Also called: Pale Tiger Moth, Pale Tussock Moth
The banded tussock moth grows to about 1.75 inches (44 mm) long and has light-brown wings with beige bands edged in black; its body is yellow and hairy with blue-green lines on the thorax’s upperside. It lives across North America from southern Canada down to Texas and central Florida, and its larvae feed on many trees and shrubs such as oak, willow, birch and grape. One generation appears each year in the north and two or more in the south; eggs are laid in clusters on leaf undersides and mature caterpillars are seen from July until frost in northern areas.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults have light-brown wings; the forewings show beige bands edged with black, and the body is yellow, hairy, with blue-green lines on the top of the thorax.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
They can reach up to 1.75 inches (44 mm) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found throughout North America, from southern Canada down through Texas and central Florida.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In northern regions there is one generation per year, while southern areas may have two or more; eggs are laid in clusters on the undersides of leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Mature caterpillars are present from July until the first frost in the north.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is the same area: southern Canada to Texas and central Florida in North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The adult looks very similar to the sycamore tussock moth and can be told apart mainly by differences in genitalia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 44 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, Georgia, Maryland, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do banded tussock moth caterpillars eat?
They feed on many trees and shrubs such as oak, willow, birch, grape and several others.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
One generation in the north and two or more in the south.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Erebidae)
Spongy MothLymantria disparDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Webworm MothHyphantria cuneaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Brown-tail MothEuproctis chrysorrhoeaCan irritate skin
Isabella Tiger MothPyrrharctia isabella
Virginian Tiger MothSpilosoma virginicaCan irritate skin
Salt Marsh MothEstigmene acreaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halysidota_tessellaris
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.