Page 609 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Noctuidae
DISTRIBUTION Canada and United States
HABITAT Deciduous forests
HOST PLANTS Mainly beech (Fagus spp.), but also other trees, including birch
(Betula spp.), maple (Acer spp.), and oak (Quercus spp.)
NOTE Hairy caterpillar with distinctive yellow markings on its
black head
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated

ADULT WINGSPAN
1½–1⅞ in (38–48 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
1 ⁄ –1 ⁄ in (30–40 mm)
CHARADRA DERIDENS
LAUGHER 607

(GUENÉE, 1852)

The Laugher caterpillar is characterized by a large, boldly
marked head possibly designed to startle birds that attack
its leaf shelters. The larvae feed on the leaves of a variety of
broad-leaved trees, in particular beech, and can cope with tough,
older leaves that are often avoided by other species of caterpillar.
They gain protection by spinning a silken nest between a couple
of leaves, in which they rest, or sometimes they will use the
shelters of other caterpillars.

The caterpillar spins a light cocoon on the food plant, in which
it overwinters and pupates the following spring. There are two
generations a year. In the northern part of the range, the moths
are on the wing from May to August, but farther south they
have a much longer season. Also called the Marbled Tu et, this

species is a type of owlet moth. It gets the name Laugher from
the pattern of markings on the moth’s forewing, which resembles
a laughing face.

The Laugher caterpillar has a creamy-white
to yellow body, which is covered in tufts of long,
gray-white hairs. At rst, the caterpillar has a
yellow head, but by the nal instar it is shiny
black with a small, yellow triangle anked by
two yellow crescents.
Actual size