Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria)

Madison Co., NC 4/9/2012.

A beautiful and common caterpillar, closely related to the Eastern Tent Caterpillar. Like the Eastern Tent, they are often found in mass colonies, but they don't build large tents. The adults are light brown with two darker brown parallel stripes.

Pender Co., NC 4/19/2008.

Pender Co., NC 4/23/2006.

All photographs and text ©2013 by Will Cook unless otherwise noted.