| Southern Flannel Moth (Megalopyge opercularis (Smith, 1797)) |
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Scientific name: Megalopyge opercularis (Smith, 1797) Common name: Southern Flannel Moth French name: Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Heterocera Family: Megalopygidae Subfamily: Wingspan: 24 to 36 mm. Females are larger than males. Biotope: Deciduous forests and surrounding areas. Geographic area: United States, Mexico, Central America, South America. Flight time: All year round. Number of generations : Caterpillar: The caterpillar bears a very dense "fur" and it is called puss caterpillar as it resembles a tiny Persian cat. It is variable in colour, from greyish white to golden brown or dark grey. The body tapers at the back and shows some kind of a long tail. The "fur" includes spines which can cause painful reactions with a simple contact and sometimes more severe symptoms like nausea, headaches or difficulties to breath. Host plant: Oaks, Ems and trees of the Citrus genus among others, Roses and Ivy in gardens. |
Megalopyge opercularis' body is covered with some kind of dense "fur" mainly orange-coloured on the thorax. The fore wings are yellow with some black along the costal edge. There are wavy lines of white scales on the 2/3 basal part of the wings. The hind wings are a uniform pale yellow colour. The legs are very hairy, orange, white and then black at the tip. The antennae are strongly bipectinate on males. They are also bipectinate on females but with much shorter ramifications and less easy to distinguish. Females are also with less contrasted colours. |
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I have shot this picture at Roura, at Camps Patawa, during a light trap night session. The large feathery antennae indicate one male. I have noticed that the legs are hardly hairy compared to all the pictures that I have seen here and there. Is it one particularity of specimens of French Guyana are am I wrong with the identification of the species? |
André Bon June 2015