Genista Broom Moth's Mysterious Life Cycle Spotted Across the US

The Genista Broom Moth is a native species that has been spotted in various parts of the US, excluding the northwest quadrant and the far Northeast. The caterpillars are about an inch long and have long, white hairs sprouting from raised, black and white dots on their bodies.

The moths themselves have wingspans of one to one-and-one-quarter inches, with a similar aposematic coloration that serves as a warning to potential predators. The caterpillars are social feeders that browse on leaves, making webs as they go, and may cause aesthetic/cosmetic damage or defoliation.

The Genista Broom Moth is found on various plants in the Pea family, including Baptisia, Sophora, and Acacia. These plants contain toxic alkaloids that deter grazers, but not the caterpillars of this moth species, which store these chemicals in their bodies to make themselves bitter and/or toxic to predators.

The moths emerge in the spring after overwintering as pupae near their host plant, and mate at night. The female lays eggs that hatch into tiny, hairy caterpillars that grow into larger hairy caterpillars.