Page 347 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Lasiocampidae
DISTRIBUTION Europe and North Africa, east to Central Asia
HABITAT Woodlands, heathlands, and sand dunes
HOST PLANTS Various, including Heather (Calluna vulgaris), trefoil
(Trifolium spp.), grasses, and trees such as oak (Quercus spp.)
and poplar (Populus spp.)
NOTE Hairy caterpillar found on a variety of food plants
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but locally scarce

ADULT WINGSPAN
1 ⁄ –2⅛ in (40–55 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2–2⅜ in (50–60 mm)
LASIOCAMPA TRIFOLII
GRASS EGGAR 345

DENIS & SCHIFFERMÜLLER, 1775

Female Grass Eggar moths lay their gray-brown, oval eggs in a
cluster, usually on the underside of leaves. The eggs overwinter
and hatch the following spring. The caterpillars feed on a range
of plants by night and seek shelter during the day. When mature,
the larvae crawl down to the ground to pupate, often burrowing
under leaf litter or into the soil. The adults emerge a few weeks

later. The night- ying moths are active through summer, from The Grass Eggar caterpillar is covered in dense
June to September, with a single generation. tufts of caramel-brown and cream-colored hairs.
Underneath, the body is dark brown to black with
several rows of broken white lines. The head is
brown with a central white band.
The caterpillars are covered in urticating hairs, which help deter
predators. The larvae also incorporate the protective hairs as
they spin their silk to create their brown cocoon. The emergent
female moth is much larger than the male. This species is
endangered in parts of its range as a result of loss of habitat and
changes in farming practices.The species is sometimes classi ed

as Pachygastria trifolii.

Actual size