Acronicta laetifica

5th instar

6th instar (same individual)

I’m not sure why this species goes through such a drastic change –  it keeps roughly the same head capsule patterns and dorsal stripe, but the colors are all switched around. Perhaps in the wild this is associated with a change in behavior? The greener, earlier form is more likely to sit on leaves, perhaps the brown/gray form is a bark rester? This is tough to observe in the lab because they are just kept in vials with leaves. I did find one large A. laetifica (brown/gray form, last instar) in the wild, but it was from beating a tree, so I don’t know how it was resting naturally. Anyone have other insights?