60. Erebidae - quadrifine noctuoids

As currently defined, this is a very large assemblage of noctuoid moths, with an enormous diversity in size, facies, ecology and biology. Although relatively well-supported as a natural group by molecular and morphological data, the phylogeny within this group is still in its infancy – many relationships within the Erebidae are still poorly resolved, to say nothing of tropical groups that still await discovery and/or phylogenetic placement. There are however also several strongly supported groups now included within the Erebidae, such as the Lymantriinae, Arctiinae, and Herminiinae. The Erebidae as currently defined may well be split into a number of families in the future. It is diffi cult to draw generalizations on such a hyper-diverse group, and brief introductory sections are limited to subfamilies here. As it is currently constituted, Erebidae is represented by 124 species in AB.

60.1. Lymantriinae – tussock moths

Mostly medium-sized (30–80 mm wingspan) moths with robust bodies. Wing pattern and color is usually drab, and several genera have wingless ( Orgyia) or flightless ( Gynaephora, some Lymantria) females. Th e subfamily Lymantriinae is thought to be closely related to the Arctiinae (both groups have hairy larvae), Aganainae and Herminiinae . Like the Arctiinae, the most recent systematic arrangement of the Noctuoidea places the Lymantriinae as a subfamily of the Erebidae rather than as a separate family (Lafontaine and Schmidt in press). Larvae are predominantly arboreal, feeding on both deciduous and coniferous woody plants. Many species are host generalists, and a relatively high proportion of this subfamily are forest pests, most notably the Gypsy Moth ( Lymantria dispar), the Satin Moth ( Leucoma salicis) and the Douglas-fir Tussock Moth ( Orgyia pseudotsugata).

Approximately 2500 species of Lymantriinae are known worldwide, with diversity centered in the Old World tropics: only about 200 species are known from the New World. Th irty-two species occur in North America, nine of which are reported from AB. Ferguson (1978) treated all of the North American Lymantriinae .