Milkweed Tussock Moth Evades Predators through Innovative Defense Mechanisms

The milkweed tussock moth has an impressive array of defense mechanisms to evade predators. These moths are native and common throughout much of the eastern United States, particularly in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The caterpillars have a distinctive appearance with hairy bodies featuring alternating tufts of black, white, and orange hairs. These long hairs serve as a defense against birds and other predators, advertising to potential threats that they are not palatable.

Incredibly, the moths' larvae can ingest toxic compounds from milkweed plants and store them in their skin. This allows them to capitalize on the plant's defensive strategy and turn it into their own advantage. Both monarch caterpillars and milkweed tussock moth caterpillars use this approach, feeding exclusively on milkweed.

The moths' adult forms have dull gray-brown wings that mask an orange and black abdomen. In contrast to monarch butterflies, which fly by day and advertise their toxicity with bright colors, the milkweed tussock moth flies by night and has reduced its visual cues.