Lackey

Malacosoma neustria

The lackey moth is common across southern Britain and central Europe. "Malacosoma" species are notable for their caterpillars which are brightly coloured and form silken tents to regulate their temperature. "Malacosoma neustria" caterpillars are brown with blue, orange and white stripes. The adults are a fairly uniform brown. The larvae feed mainly on trees and shrubs from within their tents.
Malacosoma neustria A caterpillar of Lackey moth on a raspberry leaf in my garden. France,Geotagged,Lackey,Lasiocampidae,Lepidoptera,Malacosoma,Malacosoma neustria,Moth,Spring,The Lackey,The Lackey moth,Wildlife

Naming

*"Malacosoma neustria neustria"
⤷ "Malacosoma neustria flavescens" Grünberg, 1912
⤷ "Malacosoma neustria formosana" Matsumura, 1932
Lackey Moth (Malacosoma neustria) With a mask-like blue face that wouldn't look entirely out of place in a horror movie, the caterpillar of the Lackey moth is definitely one that's unlikely to be forgotten once you've seen one. This fully grown individual was in the process of finding a suitable place in which to pupate. Part of a lifecycle described in more detail here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0TQIkWUGYM Geotagged,Lackey,Malacosoma neustria,Summer,United Kingdom

Distribution

The lackey moth is widely distributed across Europe, Asia and North Africa.
Lackey moth caterpillar - Malacosoma neustria Animal,Animalia,Arthropoda,Caterpillar,Eastern Macedonia,Eggar,Europe,Geotagged,Greece,Insect,Insecta,Keramoti,Lackey,Lackey moth,Larva,Lasiocampidae,Lepidoptera,Malacosoma neustria,Nature,Spring

Behavior

Eggs of the lackey moth are laid in ring-like bands in late summer on twigs of the host trees where they overwinter. On hatching, the larvae are gregarious and weave for themselves a silken canopy of webbing. They eat the young foliage of the tree and moult several times as they grow larger. When ready to pupate they drop to the ground and undergo metamorphosis, each forming a pupa sandwiched between leaves of plants growing beneath the tree. In both Britain and Germany the flight period is from June to August.
Lackey moth caterpillar - Malacosoma neustria Animal,Animalia,Arthropoda,Caterpillar,Eastern Macedonia,Eggar,Europe,Geotagged,Greece,Insect,Insecta,Keramoti,Lackey,Lackey moth,Larva,Lasiocampidae,Lepidoptera,Malacosoma neustria,Nature,Spring

Habitat

Its habitat is the edges of woodland, bushy grassland, coppices, hedgerows and road verges. The caterpillar's food plants include apple, pear, plum, willow, hornbeam, lime and oak.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyLasiocampidae
GenusMalacosoma
SpeciesM. neustria
Photographed in
France
United Kingdom
Greece