Global InformationMalacosoma californicum information
| Western tent caterpillar | |
|---|---|
| |
| larvae | |
| |
| Adult | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lasiocampidae |
| Genus: | Malacosoma |
| Species: | M. californicum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Malacosoma californicum Packard, 1864
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Malacosoma californicum, the western tent caterpillar, is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae. It is a tent caterpillar. The Western Tent Caterpillar is found in southern Canada, the western United States, and parts of northern Mexico. There are currently six recognized subspecies of M. californicum.[1] Western tent caterpillars are gregarious and will spend a large portion of their time with other caterpillars in silken tents constructed during their larval stage.[2]
Western tent caterpillars are univoltine, going through a single generation per year.[3][4] Adults emerge in the late summer to copulate and lay eggs. Adult moths will preferentially lay their eggs on the sunny side of their host trees.[5][6] Eggs will lay in diapause over the winter and hatch the following spring. Population sizes of western tent caterpillar can reach outbreak proportions, where populations reach very high numbers and large scale defoliation occurs.[6] Severe outbreaks can cause defoliation of host trees however, damage to trees is minimal and most trees will grow their leaves back quickly.[4][6]
- ^ Ciesla, William; Ragenovich,Iral (2008). "Western Tent Caterpillar". Forest Insect & Disease Leaflet. 119: 1–8.
- ^ Franklin, Michelle; Myers, Judith; Cory, Jenny (2014). "Genetic Similarity of Island Populations of Tent Caterpillars During Successive Outbreaks". PLOS ONE. 9 (5): 325–330. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...996679F. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096679. PMC 4032236. PMID 24858905.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kharoubawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Mitchell, Russel (1990). "Seasonal History of the Western Tent Caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) on Bitterbrush and Currant in Central Oregon". Journal of Economic Entomology. 83 (4): 1492–1494. doi:10.1093/jee/83.4.1492.
- ^ Moore, Lynn; Myers, Judith; Eng, Rex (1988). "Western Tent Caterpillars Prefer the Sunny Side of the Tree, but Why?". Oikos. 51 (3): 321–326. doi:10.2307/3565313. JSTOR 3565313.
- ^ a b c Myers, Judith (2000). "Population fluctuations of western tent caterpillars in southwestern British Columbia". Population Ecology. 42: 231–241. doi:10.1007/pl00012002. S2CID 14703541.