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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Megalopygidae
57a0040 – 4647   Megalopyge opercularis (Smith, 1797)
             Southern Flannel Moth

© Carol Wolf
Distribution: Type locality (opercularis): Georgia
Type locality (bissesa): Cuernavaca, MX; Santa Rosa, MX; southern Arizona; Oracle, AZ
Similar Species:
  • Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy: Phalaena opercularis Smith, 1797
Pimela lanuginosa Clemens, 1860
Miresa subcitrina Walker, 1869
Megalopyge bissesa Dyar, 1911
Taxonomic Notes: Megalopyge opercularis (Smith, 1797) includes as a subspecies 4646 Megalopyge bissesa Dyar, 1911 in Becker (1995:119).
References
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) (bissesa) - Caution: DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification, and some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.
  • Barcode of Life (BOLD) (opercularis) - Caution: DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification, and some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.
  • Becker, V.O., 1995. 73. Megalopygidae. Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera. Volume 3. Checklist: Part 2. Hyblaeoidea - Pyraloidea - Tortricoidea. Association for Tropical Lepidoptera and Scientific Publishers, Gainesville, FL, 118-122.
  • Dyar, H.G., 1911. Descriptions of some new species and genera of Lepidoptera from Mexico. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 38(1742): 267.
  • Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history)
  • Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 20.24m; p. 165. Book Review and ordering
  • Sancio, E.P., C.H. Kratzer, J.C. Carlson, 2024. Geographical and temporal distribution of Megalopygidae in the United States and Puerto Rico. Toxicon, X (2024). (Journal Pre-proof)
  • Smith, J.E., 1797. The natural history of the rarer lepidopterous insects of Georgia, 2: 105.
  • Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Megalopyge opercularis
© Gretchen Grammer
Megalopyge opercularis
© Patrick Coin
Megalopyge opercularis
© Randy Newman
Megalopyge opercularis
© Sean McCann
Megalopyge opercularis
© Rich Hoyer
Megalopyge opercularis
© Jane & John Balaban
Megalopyge opercularis
– © Jim Vargo
Megalopyge opercularis
– © Jim Vargo
Megalopyge opercularis
© Jim Vargo
Megalopyge opercularis
© Valerie G. Bugh

Megalopyge opercularis
© Valerie G. Bugh

Megalopyge opercularis
© Tom Bentley

Megalopyge opercularis
© Machele White

Megalopyge opercularis
© Machele White

Megalopyge opercularis
© Machele White

Megalopyge opercularis
© Machele White

Megalopyge opercularis
© Machele White

Megalopyge opercularis
© Valerie G. Bugh

Megalopyge opercularis
© Robert Patterson

Megalopyge opercularis
© Kim Fleming

Megalopyge opercularis
© Kim Fleming

Megalopyge opercularis
© Hannah Nendick-Mason


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