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Milkweed tussock moth
Milkweed tussock moth
Euchaetes egle
Moth
Native moth whose hairy black-orange-white larvae feed on milkweed alongside monarch caterpillars. Less well-known than the monarch but equally dependent on Asclepias; the larvae's caterpillar-tussock appearance often startles gardeners who recognize monarchs but not tussock moths.
Plants in the catalog
Larval host plants · 3
Butterfly weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Specialist
Common milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Specialist
Tussock moth larvae often share milkweed plants with monarch caterpillars; both species depend on Asclepias.
Swamp milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Specialist
Milkweed tussock moth (Euchaetes egle) larvae are Asclepias specialists alongside monarchs — both species sequester cardiac glycosides from milkweed sap for chemical defense.
Range
Eastern and central North America wherever Asclepias grows.
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