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Genista Broom Moth Caterpillars
uresiphita reversalis
37.9097, -122.375
Field Notes
Description:
There were hundreds of these Genista broom moth caterpillars eating french broom plants along the main road near my sisters house. They were approximately 1 inch long. Some of them were surrounded by silk.
Habitat:
Urban housing development landscape area.
Notes:
The genista caterpillar, Uresiphita reversalis, also called sophora worm, is the larva of the genista broom moth, Lepidoprera pyralidae. Its native range is Nova Scotia to Florida, California, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa and parts of Mexico. It is a tenting caterpillar that uses silk to spin a tent-like form in the plants and trees where it feeds. In large numbers, genistas can defoliate a tree or plant in favorable conditions. Small numbers of them don't cause trees any permanent damage. eHow.com
http://www.ehow.com/info_8529805_genista-caterpillars.html
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