Page 345 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Lasiocampidae
DISTRIBUTION Europe to eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, China, and Japan
HABITAT Forests, woodland edges, scrub, and hedgerows
HOST PLANTS Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.),
buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.), oak (Quercus spp.), willow
(Salix spp.), and other broadleaved trees

NOTE Large, hairy caterpillar that rests camou aged along a stem
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but declining in parts of Europe, including
the United Kingdom

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅜–3½ in (60–90 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3–3½ in (75–90 mm)
GASTROPACHA QUERCIFOLIA
LAPPET 343

(LINNAEUS, 1758)

The Lappet caterpillar hatches in late summer from a white,
green-marbled, oval egg, laid in small groups attached to twigs.
It hibernates while still small, uncovered but well concealed on
or often underneath small stems, low down close to the ground.
In the spring, the larva ascends the bush to feed at night and is
fully fed in May or June. The dark gray pupa is formed inside a
tough, gray-brown cocoon attached low down on the food plant.

The species’ common name comes from the hairy protuberances,
or lappets, on the lower sides of the caterpillar. These, along with The Lappet caterpillar is dark gray to reddish

the color and shape, make the larva di cult to detect when it brown, sometimes variegated white. It has
blue-black bands between the frontal segments
rests along a stem. The caterpillars of several related species and sometimes pairs of orange spots along the
are similar in form. The large, furry adults y in a single brood back. The underside is attened, and there are

a series of eshy protuberances along the sides,
from late June to August. The decline of this species in Europe with long, downward-pointing hairs. It has a
backward-pointing protuberance, resembling
is in part due to loss of suitable scrub and hedgerow habitats. a small bud, on the back near the hind end.

Actual size