Bug FAQYellow-based Tussock Moth
Dasychira basiflava · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Erebidae
Source: Wikipedia
Males have a wingspan of about 30 to 39 mm and females 42 to 54 mm. The larvae eat oak, dogwood and blueberry leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The yellow-based tussock belongs to the moth family Erebidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Male wingspan ranges from 30 to 39 mm; females are larger, 42 to 54 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on the leaves of oak, dogwood and blueberry plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Usually one generation is produced each year, but a second generation may appear in the southern part of its range.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from June through August in northern areas and emerge earlier in spring in southern locations.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes much of the United States and southern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a moth of the family Erebidae, which helps distinguish it from similar-looking species.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where is this moth found?
It lives across much of the United States and southern Canada, from the east coast to the Midwest and down to the Gulf, and also in southeastern Alaska.
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 acreaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasychira_basiflava
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.