Ailanthus webworm
species of insect
The Ailanthus webworm (Atteva aurea) is an ermine moth found commonly in the United States. This small, colorful moth resembles a true bug or beetle when not in flight, but when in flight it resembles a wasp. Its original range included the American tropics since its host tree (paradise tree) is found in this geographic range. It has expanded its range North as it has adapted to live and feed on Ailanthus altissima.
Identification
Ailanthus webworm moth adults have several notable characteristics. Their forewings are bright orange with white spots surrounded in black. On their heads they have labial palps that curve upward and front facing antennae.
Host plants
The ailanthus webworm is hypothesized to be native to South Florida and the American tropics (as far South as Costa Rica), which contains their original larval host plants: paradise tree (Simarouba glauca) and Simarouba amara. Although these two trees were the webworms original host plants, it has since expanded its range to include another host plant Ailanthus altissima.
The tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), originally from China, has expanded across the United States, and is widely considered an invasive species.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Ailanthus webworm” as species of insect. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the science & nature register because the source frames it as species of insect. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 28, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2180558. The Library of Congress control number is sh85002550. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Ailanthus webworm”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Ailanthus webworm primary sources, Ailanthus webworm archive and Ailanthus research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Ailanthus webworm”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Ailanthus webworm” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.