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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

990689n – 19689   Thaumetopoea processionaea (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Distribution: Europe; not found in North America north of Mexico. Seasonality and Size: One generation per year. Adults appear from July to September. Forewing length ranges 13-16mm Larva and Host Plants: Larvae prefer to feed on Quercus spp. (Oak), however they have been recorded on Betula (Birch), Carpinus (hornbeam), Castanea (chestnut), Corylus (hazel), and Fagus (beech). Larvae will often be seen in a head-to-tail procession of caterpillars in late spring and early summer. Typically pale or grey laterally and black dorsally. Covered in urticating hairs that are grey. Description/ Field Marks: Females with noticeable black scale tuft on tip of abdomen, possibly used to cover eggs for concealment Similar Species: May be confused with Thaumetopoea pityocampa, although this species has a conspicuous orange-brown abdomen and T. processionaea has a gray to gray-brown abdomen. T. pityocampa is associated with pine trees. Synonymy: processionaea (Linnaeus, 1758)

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

(1) Natural History Museum: HOSTS- website (2) European Food Safety Authority: Evaluation of a pest risk analysis on Thaumetopoea processionea [pdf] (3) Groenen, F., and Meurisse, N. 2012. Historical distribution of the oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea in Europe suggests recolonization instead of expansion. Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 14:2

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