This family now contains a number of very diverse subfamilies that were formerly of family status or previously part of the Noctuidae. Includes: the Lymantriinae, tussocks and vapourers, the Arctiinae, the tigers, ermines, and footman moths, the Hypeninae and Hypenodinae the Snouts, and Herminiinae the fan-foots, as well as some former noctuids now in the Erebinae and a number of smaller subfamilies, which include the underwings, herald, blackneck and waved black. Larvae of the Lymantriinae have tufts of urticating hairs and hair pencils and cover and protect their egg batches with these hairs. The vapourers have flightless females. The narrow winged footman moths have slightly hairy larvae and feed on lichens and algae on trees and rocks. The brightly coloured tigers and ermines have hairy larvae feeding on herbaceous plants (the "woolly bears"). Some species are day flying.
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