@mellielong

You always seem to know what cats are on plants, so I was hoping you could help me.

Tonight, I found these on my butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

I've never seen these guys before ever and I'm hoping they are good guys.

There isn't much left of the plant, so I hope they can get enough to eat.











Some of the pics didn't come out as clear as some of them. Click onto all of them.

Thanks!

I believe it is Euchaetes egle, Milkweed tussock moth. https://www.google.com/search?...

Right you are! Thanks for the id!

Is that a good moth? I've this plant for many years and I've never seen these guys. In another bed I've had Butterfly Weed 'Gay Butterflies' for many years and I've never seen them on that plant before either.

Sorry, Marilyn! I saw that you tagged me but I got distracted and forgot to click on it! Jay is right, as he usually is. Those are Milkweed Tussock Moths. Oddly enough, I've never had them either. BAMONA says they extend into Florida, but they have very few reported sightings. http://www.butterfliesandmoths...

Fitting that it's National Moth Week! As for good or bad, moths are pollinators, too. Mostly of night-blooming flowers and many orchids. Last time I was at Selby Botanical Gardens, I walked by the guided tour and the tour leader was saying how most yellow or white flowers are pollinated by moths. Of course, if you want Monarchs and all your milkweed is being eaten by Tussock Moths, I could see that being a problem. But you say you've never had them before, so hopefully they'll just be an occasional visitor that you can tolerate for now.

mellielong said:Last time I was at Selby Botanical Gardens, I walked by the guided tour and the tour leader was saying how most yellow or white flowers are pollinated by moths.

I didn't know that.

Thanks Mellie!

@mellielong

Do you know how to report your (my) location on the map?

I dont know.... maybe you could hand rear those cats and thus save your milkweed

I just looked at the plant stems and there is only one or two tiny ones that have the color in the pics.

Maybe something eat all the ones I took pics of.

Marilyn, you could create your own BAMONA login and submit the sighting. I like submitting butterflies and moths I don't know so I can learn what they are and also it's fun to keep track of what I saw when. Like, what was the earliest I saw a Swallowtail or something.

Thanks! Excellent idea!

I just came back inside and looked at those cats and there are a lot more than two! Maybe they were hiding this morning.

I get a lot of those tussock cats... They sure are cute...
Too bad that they don't turn into anything pretty.
http://stonethegardener.tumblr...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.