Hemileuca maia
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Author(s): Gerald J. Lenhard, Louiana State Univ.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Hemileuca maia (Drury) - (buck moth)
This moth is an occasional defoliator of oak trees in eastern North America. The caterpillars can defoliate branches or individual trees, but the overall damage to the forest is limited. The outbreaks appear irregularly and mainly pose a health hazard, because the numerous branched spines of the larvae cause severe pain, skin irritation and injuries when the caterpillars are accidentally touched, e.g. when the mature caterpillars migrate to the ground.
Eggs hatch in spring and the caterpillars feed on the leaves and reach a length of up to 6 cm. When mature they move to the ground and pupate in the soil. The adult moths emerge in autumn, mate and lay egg masses on oak twigs with the eggs arranged in spiral rows. The eggs are the overwintering stage. There is only one generation per year.
For a review see Schowalter & Ring (2017).
- Other images of Hemileuca maia (IPM Images - click to enlarge)
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