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Forest Tent CaterpillarCommon Name
Malacosoma disstria
46.9452, -95.6539
Field Notes
Description:
Forest Tent caterpillars are just over 2 inches, they are black, dark brown, or gray with blue and faint yellow longitudinal stripes. Each abdominal segment bears a white spot.
Habitat:
The Forest Tent caterpillar lives in deciduous trees and likes to feed on aspen, birch, basswood and oak.
Notes:
This photo was taken at the entrance of the Old Indian Trail. Forest Tent caterpillars can be found in many trees at Tamarac, although there appears to be little damage to the trees this year. An outbreak tends to recur at intervals of 10 years. The larva (caterpillar) lives for 5-6 weeks in May and June. Next the pupae is protected for a 3 week period in June with the adult moth coming out for just 5 days in July. The moth next will deposit eggs which overwinter for 10 months.
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