Schizura unicornis

Schizura unicornis, the unicorn caterpillar moth, unicorn prominent or variegated prominent, is a species of moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797. It is found in all of North America, except the arctic north.[1][2]

Schizura unicornis
Larva
Adult
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Notodontidae
Genus:	Schizura
Species:	S. unicornis
Binomial name
Schizura unicornis (J. E. Smith, 1797)
Synonyms
Phalaena unicornis Smith, 1797 Coelodasys edmandsii Packard, 1864 Edema semirufescens Walker, 1865 Edema humilis Walker, 1865 Heterocampa conspecta Edwards, 1874 Schizura deserta Barnes, 1929

The wingspan is 24–35 mm.[3] The forewings are dark grey, variably shaded and marked with yellowish, rose and brown. The hindwings are dirty white, shaded with grey in males and dark grey in females. Adults are on wing from February to September in the south and from May to August in the north. There is one generation per year.

The larvae feed on Alnus, Malus, Populus tremuloides, Betula papyrifera, Ulmus, Crataegus, Carya and Salix species. They are brown, although the second and third thoracic segments are bright green. The head is mottled brown. Larvae can be found from May to October in the south and from June to September in the north. The species overwinters in the larval stage in a cocoon beneath leaf litter.

References

1. Balaban, John & Jane (August 10, 2017). "Species Schizura unicornis - Unicorn Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#8007". BugGuide. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
2. Savela, Markku. "Schizura unicornis (Smith, 1797)". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
3. Anweiler, G. G. (September 2004). "Species Page - Schizura unicornis". Entomology Collection. University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved July 28, 2019.