Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Lasiocampidae
Subfamily: Lasiocampinae
Identification: Body and wings warm fawn brown. Forewing with white am. and pm. lines. Median area sometimes white.
Wing Span: 2.2-4.4 cm.
Life History: Larva feed on many plants and are a serious defoliating pest. They can be easily recognized by the characteristic white webbing ("tents") larvae spin in forks of trees and shrubs in the spring. When full-grown, larvae leave host trees and disperse to form loose cocoons in protected places where they pupate. Infestations tend to be cyclic in severity, worsening for several years until populations crash to low levels.
Flight: Late May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Apple and cherry trees, flowering crabapples, and other members of the rose family.
Adult Food:
Habitat:
Range:
Conservation:
NCGR:
Management Needs:
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 705 verified sightings

Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 27, 2023

Observation date: May 23, 2023
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 23, 2023

Observation date: May 22, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Mercer County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 22, 2023

Observation date: May 03, 2023
Submitted by: Barometz
Region: Harrison County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 21, 2023

Observation date: May 14, 2023
Submitted by: Victoire Batiste
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 17, 2023