Poplar Kitten

No needs or concerns.

Adults on the wing late May through early August.

Quebec west to Vancouver Island, south to California. In Alberta, it occurs in wooded habitats from the valleys of the grasslands north into the southern boreal forest, as well as throughout the foothills and lower elevations in the mountains. It apparently does not occur as far north as does F. occidentalis.

The most common and widespread Alberta Kitten Moth. A medium-size (3.5-4.5 cm wingspan) white moth with a wide black median band and black lines and dots crossing the forewings, and with a large back patch on the forewing apex. Hindwings with a black discal mark and a wide but somewhat diffuse dark median band. Both sets of wings have a row of prominent black marginal dots between the veins. Scolopendrina differs from modesta by the white rather than light tan forewings and the small patches of gold or orange scales on the outer edge of the median band where it crosses the veins (absent in modesta). Scolopendrina is very similar to the large form of F. occidentalis, which occurs in the mountains and foothills. Many male specimens from the foothills and mountains need to be dissected for positive determination, especially if the specimens are greased. The tip of the uncus is longer and thinner in scolopendrina than in occidentalis. Specimens from the grasslands region are smaller and have reduced black markings compared to those from the parklands, foothills and boreal forest areas.

Deciduous woodlands and shrub.

Adults are nocturnal and come to light. The larvae are solitary defoliators. There appears to be at least a partial second brood, especially in the southern part of the province. They overwinter as pupae.

No Alberta data. Elsewhere in Canada reported from trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) and willows (Salix).

Furcula scolopendrina, the zigzag furcula moth or poplar kitten moth, is a species of prominent moth in the family Notodontidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1869 and is found in North America.

The MONA or Hodges number for Furcula scolopendrina is 7940.