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Malacosoma disstria
The larvae are dark-gray to brownish-black background body color, highlighted by broad, pale-blue lines and thin, broken yellow lines extending along each side; dorsum of each abdominal segment has distinct whitish keyhole or shoeprint-shaped marking; body has fine, whitish, and sparsely distributed hairs.
Range is throughout most of United States and southern Canada but more common east of Mississippi River. Found near host trees for larvae including alder, basswood, birch, cherry, oak, poplar, and willow. This one was photographed in Edgefield County, SC.
One generation per year; larvae spin silken mats on tree trunks and large branches where they congregate to molt or rest from feeding; larvae also deposit silk in strands along which they travel to and from feeding sites; overwinters as larva in masses surrounding tree branches. (Unlike Eastern Tent Caterpillar, this species does not form silken tents.)
Spotted on Mar 30, 2012
Submitted on Mar 24, 2013
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