Flannel moth
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics.


Distribution and habitat

The moth occurs in North America and the New World tropics.


Life cycle and behavior

Adult flannel moths are stout-bodied, and very hairy. Females have thin antennae while males' are feather-like. Larvae are called puss
caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
s and, with their long hairs, resemble cotton balls. They have venomous spines that can cause a painful sting and inflammation lasting for several days. In some cases, the sting may cause headache, nausea, and
shock Shock may refer to: Common uses Collective noun *Shock, a historic commercial term for a group of 60, see English numerals#Special names * Stook, or shock of grain, stacked sheaves Healthcare * Shock (circulatory), circulatory medical emerge ...
-like symptoms. Perhaps the most notorious for stinging is the caterpillar of ''
Megalopyge opercularis ''Megalopyge opercularis'' is a moth of the family Megalopygidae. It has numerous common names, including southern flannel moth for its adult form, and puss caterpillar, asp, Italian asp, Fire caterpillar, woolly slug, opossum bug, puss moth, t ...
''. Caterpillars have 7 pairs of prolegs, while other Lepidopterae have 5 or fewer pairs. They feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs.


Genera

*''
Aithorape ''Aithorape'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. Distributio ...
'' *''
Cephalocladia ''Cephalocladia'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. Distri ...
'' *'' Coamorpha'' *''
Edebessa ''Edebessa'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. Distribution ...
'' *''
Endobrachys ''Endobrachys'' is a monotypic moth genus in the family Megalopygidae. It contains only one species, ''Endobrachys revocans'', which is found in Peru, French Guiana and Brazil. The wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplan ...
'' *'' Eochroma'' *'' Hysterocladia'' *'' Macara'' *''
Malmella ''Malmella'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae described by Paul Dognin Paul Dognin (10 May 1847 – 10 August 1931) was a French entomologist who specialised in the Lepidoptera of South America. Dognin named 101 new genera of moth ...
'' *'' Megalopyge'' *'' Mesoscia'' *'' Microcladia'' *''
Microrape ''Microrape'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. Distributi ...
'' *'' Norape'' *''
Norapella ''Norapella'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae. Species *''Norapella bipennis'' Hopp, 1930 *''Norapella gracilis'' (Dognin) *''Norapella parva'' (Schaus, 1896) *''Norapella rhadina ''Norapella rhadina'' is a moth of the Megalop ...
'' *''
Podalia ''Podalia'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. Distribution ...
'' *'' Proterocladia'' *''
Psychagrapha ''Psychagrapha'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae described by Francis Walker in 1855. The genus was established in the Psychidae The Psychidae (bagworm moths, also simply bagworms or bagmoths) are a family of the Lepidopter ...
'' *''
Repnoa ''Repnoa'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae. It contains only one species, ''Repnoa imparilis'', which is found in French Guiana. The wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wing ...
'' *'' Thoscora'' *''
Trosia ''Trosia'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae described by Jacob Hübner Jacob Hübner (20 June 1761 – 13 September 1826, in Augsburg) was a German entomologist. He was the author of ''Sammlung Europäischer Schmetterlinge'' (1796 ...
'' *''
Vescoa ''Vescoa'' is a genus of moths in the family Megalopygidae. It contains only one species, ''Vescoa ma'', which is found in Peru. The wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other ...
'' *''
Zyzypyge ''Zyzypyge'' is a monotypic moth genus in the family Megalopygidae The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. Distri ...
''


References


Sources


Natural History Museum genus database
*
BugGuide



Auburn University

Moths of Borneo
€”lists the family as neotropical




External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q135433