Fall Webworm Moth
Hyphantria cunea
Unlike tent caterpillars, fall webworms construct their protective silk webs over the tips of branches rather than in the forks, enclosing their food source entirely.
- Scientific name
- Hyphantria cunea
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Erebidae › Hyphantria
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, orchards, suburban gardens, and parks.
- Diet
- Caterpillars feed on leaves of over 600 tree species (especially cherry, walnut, and hickory); adult moths do not feed.
- Range
- North America, Europe, Asia
- Size
- Wingspan of 30 to 42 mm; caterpillars grow up to 35 mm
- Lifespan
- 1 year (adults live only 4 to 14 days)
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Broad-spectrum pesticide use and extreme winter freezes.
- Safe to approach?
- Adult moths are completely harmless. However, avoid handling the hairy caterpillars with bare hands, as their bristles can cause mild skin irritation or allergic reactions. If contact occurs, wash the area with soap and water, and apply antihistamine cream if itching develops.
The fall webworm ( Hyphantria cunea ) is a moth in the family Erebidae known principally for its larval stage, which creates the characteristic webbed nests on the tree limbs of a wide variety of hardwoods in the late summer and fall. It is mainly an aesthetic pest and is not believed to harm otherwise healthy trees. It is well known to commercial tree services and arboriculturists.
Photo: Liubov Ilminska, CC0, via iNaturalist
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