Other names: Tussock moth, yellow tail moth

Worldwide in distribution.

Economic importance

Tussock moth is a potential defoliator. A group of tussock moth caterpillars can defoliate a whole plant overnight. 

Damage

Young larvae damage sweetpotato by scraping the lower surface of the leaf leaving the epidermis intact. Older larvae chew off the leaves leaving irregular holes, with main veins intact. 

Morphology

Eggs Round yellowish eggs are laid in a cluster, generally on the lower leaf surface, and protected with yellowish brown hairs.

Larva  The first larval instar has brown head and translucent creamy brown body covered with brown hairs. Later instars have black body with narrow yellowish  orange line in between two white lines on the dorsal side of the abdomen. The head  and posterior regions are orange with black short lines.  Creamy white lines traverse the  lateral sides of the abdomen of the second and third instars. The lines change to yellow as the larva matures.  Long black and short white irritant hairs arise from the tubercles around the abdomen, head portion and posterior tip of the larva. First instar larva measures 1.5 to 2 mm and mature larva measures 26-31 mm.

Pupa The obtect pupa is enclosed in a brown cocoon attached on the surface of the leaf.

Adult  The adult is a small light brown moth with a large tuft of  yellowish hairs at the tip of the abdomen which is used to cover the newly-laid eggs.

The female deposit eggs only once and lay all eggs together, covering them with yellowish brown hairs.  Incubation lasts for a week. This species of tussock moth undergoes six larval instars lasting about 18-30 days. Pupation takes place in a cocoon produced by the last instar larva, and lasts about a week. Total developmental period requires 30-40 days. Adult longevity lasts for 5-7 days for the male and 6-8 days for the female.

Yellow tail tussock moth has a wide host range including forest trees, ornamentals and cultivated crops like sweetpotato.

Young larvae feed in groups, usually on the lower leaf surface.  Older caterpillars are less gregarious. Surface of the leaves grazed by young larvae is littered with black small frass. Frass is present on soil under defoliated plants. 

Control of this pest is seldom necessary.

A number of natural enemies including egg and larval parasitoids and entomopathogens are reported to attack immatures of yellow tail moth.

References

Fornes, L. and Hernandez, J.V. 200. Algunos aspectos de la biologia de Hyleis metabus (Cramer 19975) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) Bol. Entomol.  Venez 15(2): 127-145.

Vasquez, E.A. 2002. Biology of tussock moth, Euproctis similis Fuessley infesting sweetpotato. Unpublished report. PhilRootcrops, Leyte State University, Baybay, Philippines. 10 pp.

Contributed by: Erlinda Vasquez and Vilma Amante

Taxonomy

Economic importance

Geographical distribution

Damage

Morphology

Biology and ecology

Detection and inspection

Host range

Management

References

Tussock moth larvae feeding on leaf (E. Vasquez).

An egg mass covered with hairs (E. Vasquez).

First instar larvae, and frass (E. Vasquez).

Sweetpotato tussock moth late instar larva (E. Vasquez).