''Seirarctia'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

moth genus in the subfamily Arctiinae erected by

Alpheus Spring Packard Alpheus Spring Packard Jr. LL.D. (February 19, 1839 – February 14, 1905) was an American entomologist and palaeontologist. He described over 500 new animal species – especially butterflies and moths – and was one of the founders of ''The Am ...

in 1864. Its single species, ''Seirarctia echo'', the echo moth, was first described by

James Edward Smith James Edward Smith may refer to: * James Edward Smith (botanist), English botanist and founder of the Linnean Society * James Edward Smith (murderer), American murderer * James Edward Smith (politician), Canadian businessman and mayor of Toronto * ...

in 1797. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Georgia,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

and

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

. The habitat consists of thickets, scrubwoods and open areas. The

wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...

is about 45 mm. The larvae feed on various woody plants, including coontie, cabbage palmetto, crotons, lupine, oak and persimmon.

Caterpillars

At Stetson University's DeLand, FL campus, many of the Seirarctia echo can be seen in their caterpillar stage. Colloquially referred to as "Haterpillars" (a reference to the school mascot), these caterpillars are well known by students due to their frequent sightings in the summer, fall, and late spring. Although less frequent, the moths are also occasionally spotted.

References

* Spilosomina Monotypic moth genera Moths of North America {{Spilosomina-stub