Tussock Moths
Species of Bombycina, nearly related to the Vapourer Moths (see Orgyia antiqua). By some entomologists they are included in the genus Orgyia; but most separate them from that genus because the females of the Tussocks have full-sized wings, while those of the Vapourer Moths are almost wingless. The Tussocks are placed in a genus named Dasychira (from dasus, hairy, and cheir, the hand, or fore limb; in allusion to the hairs on the first pair of legs). There are two British species, generally known as the Pale Tussock (D. pudibunda), or Hop-dog, and the Dark Tussock (D. fascelina). The males have the antennae much fringed; while in the females they are nearly simple. In both sexes the body is heavy, and the wings are rather broad. The front pair of legs are hairy, especially in the male. The larvae resemble those of the Vapourer Moths in having erect, brush-like tufts of hair on the middle line of the back, from the fifth to the eighth segments, and a backward-pointing tuft on the back of the twelfth segment. When full-fed, the larvae spin slight cocoons among their food-plants, and become hairy pupae. The Pale Tussock (D. pudibunda) is about 2in. or 2 1/4in. in spread of the fore wings. Its general colour is grey, with three narrow, dark bands across the fore wings; or, in the male, a broad, smoke-coloured cross-bar, with darker, waved lines. The hind wings are pale grey, with a faintly darker bar. The larva is pale green, with a deep black, velvety band on the back between each two segments from the fifth to the eighth; the tufts of erect hairs on the back are yellow. The larvae live on many trees, such as Beech, Chestnut, Lime, and Oak, and they also feed on Hops, whence the name "Hop-dog," often applied to them.
The Dark Tussock (D. fascelina) seldom exceeds 1 3/4in. across the front wings, which are smoky-grey, with three wavy, blackish cross-bars; two of these lie close together beyond the middle of the wing. The hind wings are smoky-grey, as are also the head and body. The larvae are dark grey, with lemon-yellow hairs, but the tufts on the back are nearly black instead of yellow. The larvae feed occasionally on Plum and other fruit-trees, on Hazel, Heather, Oak, and various herbs. They are, however, seldom the cause of serious injury, hardly ever being abundant.
Remedies. Hand-picking, or shaking the larvae from the branches on to sheets of paper or cloth, will prove sufficient to prevent harm, should it be threatened at any time.