Archive for month: August, 2017

Common Name: Eastern tent caterpillar moth

Scientific Name: Malacosoma americana

Season: One generation, with caterpillars appearing first in April into late May, and adults by June.

Food: Caterpillars feed primarily on cherry trees, but may build nests on apple and crabapple as well.

Ecology: As the name implies, the caterpillars of this moth form a silken nest in the crotch of tree branches, where caterpillars rest and molt. Caterpillars that leave the nest “scout” for leaves to feed from, dragging a trail of silk behind them that other caterpillars will follow. When the caterpillars reach their final molt, they leave the nest to pupate, and may be found several plants away from their actual host plant. Contrary to popular belief, a nest of tent caterpillars in your cherry tree will not outright kill the plant, and within a month’s time, trees recover. Adults produce a spongy mass of eggs on twigs of their host plant, which will overwinter.

Doug Tallamy Photo

Common Name: Evening primrose flower moth

Scientific Name: Schinia florida

Season: One generation a year, with caterpillars from late July into September. Adults are present by June.

Food: Evening primrose

Ecology: Caterpillars of this moth prefer to feed on flowers and seed capsules of their host plant rather than leaves. Caterpillars will bore a hole into the seed pod and eats its way through until the pod is hollow. One can often find the bodies of these caterpillars sticking out of flower buds and seed pods as a result. The adults hide during the day by pushing themselves into partially closed flowers. Caterpillars overwinter as pupae.

Doug Tallamy Photo

Common Name: Cecropia moth, Robin moth

Scientific Name: Hyalophora cecropia

Season: One generation a year in New England, with adults flying late May into June, and caterpillars from June into the fall.

Food: Many different woody plants in the Northeast: alder, ash, basswood, birch, cherry, dogwood, elm, hawthorn, maple, oak, poplar, wax myrtle, and willow.

Ecology: One of the largest moths in the US, with a very large caterpillar to boot. Unfortunately, this species of moth is in decline, due to a parasitic fly that was initially released to handle gypsy moths, as well as loss of native host plants. Although caterpillars appear to have spikes on their body, they do not sting. Caterpillars will move to the base of host plants and form silken bag cocoons, where they will overwinter.

Doug Tallamy Photo

Common Name: Hag moth

Scientific Name: Phobetron pitchecium

Season: Adult, May-Oct.; caterpillar, July-Oct.

Food: Many woody plants, including apple, ash, cherry, chestnut, dogwood, hickory, oak, persimmon, walnut, and willow.

Ecology: One of the most bizarre looking caterpillars in the US, referred to as “monkey slugs”. Caterpillars bear six pairs of feathery appendages that easily break off, and these appendages contain stinging hairs that can be painful if touched. It is believed that the caterpillars are meant to mimic the shed skins of tarantulas, hence the strange appearance. In contrast, the adult female hag moths mimic the appearance of bees, with large tufts of hair on the middle leg to mimic the appearance of a pollen basket. Males mimic the appearance of wasps. All of these different appearances are to fool birds into avoiding the insect as a meal.

Doug Tallamy Photos

Common Name: Greater grapevine looper

Scientific Name: Eulithis gracilineata

Season: Two generations, with caterpillars by June and adults in July.

Food: Grape and Virginia creeper.

Ecology: Many caterpillars feed at night to avoid being detected by birds, but they need a clever way to avoid being noticed while they rest during the day. The greater grapevine looper mimics the appearance of a twig, and will hold itself straight and still for extended periods of time to avoid detection. Eggs that are laid in the fall or late summer will overwinter.

Doug Tallamy Photo