Description of Lasiocampidae
Lasiocampid moths are medium-sized with hairy bodies that usually exceed hindwing in length. Wingspan is 2.5-5.8 cm., and ocelli are absent. In both sexes, the antennae are bipectinate to the tips. When resting, these moths hold their wings like a roof over their bodies. Larvae are colorful, longitudinally striped, and densely hairy. Some species are serious pests in forests and on shade trees. Larvae of some species build communal webs (or "tents") in trees for protection from predators, leaving these webs to feed on foliage of the host tree, and other deciduous trees and shrubs. Moths of this family pupate in a cocoon. Silk from some species has been used for cloth, but it is carded and spun - a different technique than used for silk from the Silkworm Moth.
