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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Lasiocampidae 870017 – 7701   Malacosoma americana (Fabricius, 1793)              Eastern Tent Caterpillar

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Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Berberidaceae Betulaceae Cornaceae Ericaceae Fabaceae Fagaceae Grossulariaceae Hamamelidaceae Juglandaceae Malvaceae[Tiliaceae] Nyssaceae[Cornaceae] Oleaceae Rhamnaceae Rosaceae Salicaceae Sapindaceae..  Host genera: Acer Alnus Amelanchier Arbutus Berberis Betula Carpinus Carya Ceanothus Cercis Cornus Corylus Crataegus Fagus Fragaria Fraxinus Hamamelis Heteromeles[=Photinia] Liquidambar Juglans Malus Nyssa Ostrya ...  Notes: many other woody plants when after caterpillars defoliate plant on which eggs were layed (Wagner 2005).  (Shropshire & Tallamy 2025 [accessed 6xii2025]) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: americana (Fabricius, 1793) (Bombyx) - MONA 1983: 7701; TL: America boreali. decipiens (Walker, 1855) (Clisiocampa); TL: Trenton Falls, New York. frutetorum (Boisduval, 1868) (Bombyx); TL: Georgia. pensylvanica (Guérin-Méneville, 1832) (Bombyx); TL: l'Amerique septentrionale.

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Franclemont, J. G., 1973. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 20.1: p. 76; pl. 9.29-37. order or free PDF Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at Block Island Moths Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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