Southern Flannel Moth

Fascinating facts about the Southern Flannel Moth

• The larva measures about an inch and is cloaked in long, silky setae that give it the appearance of a tiny Persian cat. Its colour can range from downy gray-white through golden brown to dark charcoal, often highlighted by a bright orange stripe. Early-stage individuals may have extremely curly fur that looks cottony and puffed-up. Unlike its close relative, the body tapers to a tail that extends well beyond the main segment, adding to its distinctive silhouette.
• The cocoons produced by this species range from 1.3 to 2.0 centimetres in length, forming a fuzzy sack that protects the developing pupa. Small hair pockets line the back of each cocoon, while a flattened front end covers the operculum until it is fully formed. This structure remains in place through the winter for late-stage larvae, allowing them to emerge as adults in late spring. The size and hair-filled design give the cocoon a miniature, plush appearance.
• The southern flannel moth is found on oak, elm, wild plum and many garden plants such as roses and ivy across a broad eastern range. Its distribution stretches from extreme southeastern Virginia through Florida, across the southern United States, into Mexico and further into Central and South America. The species produces two broods each year, with larvae appearing in the summer and again in the autumn.
• Stings from the southern flannel moth are the leading cause of urticarial dermatitis, or erucism, in the United States, and this species accounts for most reported cases. Contact with its fur-like spines produces an instant skin reaction described as a grid-like hemorrhagic papular eruption with severe radiating pain.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Southern Flannel Moth

In the warm, golden light of a sun-dappled forest, the Southern Flannel Moth emerges, its caterpillar form a fluffy, aposematic marvel, warning potential predators of its distasteful nature through a vibrant display of color and texture. As it moves through the underbrush, the moth's larval stage leaves a trail of subtle, telltale signs, a whispered promise of the magnificent, adult form to come, with its delicate, feathery antennae and soft, padded wings. With a gentle, ethereal beauty, the Southern Flannel Moth navigates its world, a master of subtle, unassuming elegance.

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