Page 521 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Notodontidae
DISTRIBUTION Western Europe and North Africa east to the Urals and Asia
Minor, extending into southwest Russia and Kazakstan; also
Mongolia and Xinjiang province in northern China
HABITAT Forests, hedgerows, parklands, and gardens
HOST PLANTS Poplar (Populus spp.) and willow (Salix spp.)
NOTE Caterpillar that has unusual hind appendages
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
1¾–1⅞ in (44–48 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ –1½ in (34–38 mm)
FURCULA BIFIDA
POPLAR KITTEN 519

(BRAHM, 1787)

The Poplar Kitten caterpillar hatches from a black, hemispherical
egg laid on the upper side of a leaf during the summer and
feeds and rests among the leaves of its host plant. When fully
developed, it pupates within a well-camou aged, hard, strong

cocoon incorporating bark and wood and chewed slightly into
a branch, trunk, or fence post. The pupa overwinters. Actual size

Adults and caterpillars of the genus Furcula (kitten moths)
resemble those of the closely related but much larger moths of
the genus Cerura (puss moths) and share very similar habits,
forms, and life histories. The feline derivation arises in two
ways. The pair of small protuberances behind the head of the
younger caterpillar give it a catlike appearance from behind, and The Poplar Kitten caterpillar is green and
dark brown, with two small protuberances
the adults are very furry and rest with the particularly hirsute behind the head. When mature, it has an
front legs stretched out, in a feline manner. Di erences between irregular brown, saddlelike mark along the

back. The hind prolegs are modi ed into a
the numerous kitten moths in all their life stages are in many long, thin, two-pronged structure. To ward
cases only slight. o predators, both ends are raised, and each
produces a reddish, tentacle-like agellum.