Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
824
Family
LYMANTRIIDAE
Medium-sized moths with hairy bodies, the males with
strongly bipectinate antennae. The larvae are hairy,
with a pair of eversible dorsal glands on the abdomen or
with brush-like tufts of hairs arising from the first to
fourth abdominal segments.
Calliteara pudibunda
(Linnaeus) (
824-825
)
syn.
Dasychira pudibunda
(Linnaeus)
Pale tussock moth
The colourful, mainly green or yellow, very hairy larvae
(up to 50 mm long) of this widely distributed species are
associated mainly with hop (
Humulus lupulus
) but also
infest ornamental trees and shrubs, including beech
(
Fagus sylvatica
), birch (
Betula
), elm (
Ulmus
),
flowering cherry (
Prunus
), hazel (
Corylus
), hornbeam
(
Carpinus betulus
), oak (
Quercus
), poplar (
Populus
),
pussy willow (
Salix caprea
) and walnut (
Juglans
). They
feed from July to October but are of no importance. The
mainly grey adults (45-55 mm wingspan) occur in May
and June.
824
Larva of pale tussock moth (
Calliteara pudibunda
).
825
Euproctis chrysorrhoea
(Linnaeus) (
826-828
)
syn.
E. phaeorrhoeus
(Haworth)
Brown-tail moth
A locally distributed pest of shrubs such as blackberry
(
Rubus fruticosus
), blackthorn (
Prunus spinosa
),
hawthorn (
Crataegus
) and sea-buckthorn (
Hippophae
rhamnoides
). At least in mainland Europe, attacks also
occur on many other plants, including ash (
Fraxinus
excelsior
),
Cotoneaster
, crab-apple (
Malus
), dogwood
(
Cornus
), elder (
Sambucus
), false acacia (
Robinia
pseudoacacia
), firethorn (
Pyracantha
), flowering
cherry (
Prunus
), lilac (
Syringa
), ornamental pear (
Pyrus
calleryana
'Chanticleer') and privet (
Ligustrum
vulgare
). Palaearctic; also introduced into North
America. Widely distributed in central and southern
Europe but more restricted in northern Europe.
825
Male pale tussock moth (
Calliteara pudibunda
).
LIFE HISTORY
Adults occur in July and August, eggs being laid in
elongate batches on leaves or stems and then covered
with brown hairs from the female's anal tuft. The eggs
hatch from mid-August to early September. The young
larvae then construct a stong, silken, web ('tent') in
which they shelter during inclement weather. Larvae
feed on the foliage in decreasing numbers until the end
of October and then hibernate. Activity is resumed in
the following April, the larvae appearing on the outside
of their tent in increasing numbers, to bask in the spring
sunshine. However, little or no feeding occurs until
May. Young foliage is then devoured ravenously. As the
larvae grow, they wander further and further from their
communal tent, spinning additional, less substantial
webs and establishing trails of silk along the branches.
In the later stages of development, when about 25 mm
long, they often become solitary and wander away to
feed elsewhere. Individuals are fully grown by late
June. They then spin silken cocoons between the leaves,
either singly or in groups and pupate. Adults emerge
about two weeks later.
DESCRIPTION
Adult:
35-42 mm wingspan; wings white, but fore
wings of male sometimes with a few black dots; head
and thorax white and fluffy; abdomen dark brown, with
a large anal tuft of hair.
Larva:
up to 40 mm long;
blackish grey, with tufts of gingery-brown hairs arising
from brownish verrucae, two rows of bright red marks
down the back, a series of downy white patches towards
each side and bright, orange-red glands on the sixth and
seventh abdominal segments; head black.
Pupa:
15-18 mm long; brownish black and hairy.
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