Tag: Megalopygidae

2026 Caterpillar Season – White Flannel Moth

2026 Caterpillar Season, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

White Flannel Moth
Norape cretata (Grote, 1864) P-no. 57a0044, fam. Megalopygidae
Host plant(s): Found on redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Date(s) found: July, 2026
Locations found: Franklin County, MO
Notes: A caterpillar you want to keep away from exposed skin as stings from these guys have been reported to come with considerable consequences. At least this one has the decency to advertise the fact with some pretty aposematic coloration! Many thanks to Eva, who found a few of these and brought them for me to photograph. I have only found one of these caterpillars in my own hunting and that was nearly 15 years ago!

2024 Caterpillar Season – Black-waved Flannel Moth

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Black-waved Flannel Moth
Megalopyge crispata fam. Megalopygidae
Host plant: This individual was found seemingly to be feeding on a Desmodium species. To my knowledge, this species has not been documented using these as host plants and have only been reported feeding on woody plant species.
Date found: 14, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Kaintuck Hollow, Phelps County, MO
Notes: Caterpillars from all members of this family possess hollow poison-delivering stinging spines underneath the seemingly soft and innocuous hairlike setae. A sting from this species will be downright irritating and painful and may require a hospital visit. Wagner discusses an Amazonian relative that reaches lengths of more than 8 cm and has reportedly caused human deaths.