Relatively unstudied moth could be a problem

Q: I don’t know if this new visitor is a positive or negative for the vegetable garden.

A: Your visitor is the Mexican tiger moth (Notarctia proxima). I couldn’t say if it is positive or negative for your garden without more information about where you found it and what, if anything, it could have been eating.

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The tiger moths can have a diverse diet and have been known to be problematic on certain plants. This species hasn’t been studied as much as its more famous relatives the fall webworm, the banded woollybear caterpillar, and the invasive gypsy moth so there isn’t as much information about what plants it might like.

Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Email questions and photos to tucsongardensage@gmail.com

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