i actually find these every year at a campsite that i go to every year.
Thanks for the info, Moni by: Chelsea
He has indeed spun a coccoon, so I'll be sure to keep him between the paper towels. I've heard that tent moths are terrible for agriculture and have been known to completely deleaf trees, so I've been told to keep the moth contained in his cage and not to release him back outside. Any tips for keeping the pet moth? Thanks again for your help, without you I would have no idea that these guys were that terrible of a pest...
Pacific tent caterpillar by: Moni
Chelsea
The second photo is great. You have a Pacific tent caterpillar. Most known to feed on oak trees.
Since you found a lone caterpillar, that means that the tent was getting old and full of trash and the caterpillars were getting large enough to find a place to pupate. So yours should pupate soon. Once it does you can keep the pupa between layers of barely moist paper towels. Then when the moth emerges you need to put a stick or something in the container for the moth to climb up on to fill the wings out.
Send us a photo of the moth...if you get one. Some times the caterpillars get parasitized and so they never make to be moths.
Good luck with your pet.
Thank you! by: Chelsea
Thank you so much for your help! I'm keeping the little guy as a pet. Here is a better picture:
Chelsea
Your photo is of a tent caterpillar.
Larvae feed on leaves of various broadleaf trees and shrubs (varies according to species). Most feed on maple an oak. Yours looks like the Pacific tent caterpillar but the photo is not clear enough to know for sure. As the name suggests they do form tents in trees and live inside the tents feeding on the foliage of the tree.
There is one generation per year; and it overwinters as an egg.they are found near deciduous woodlands, edges, roadsides, treed yards and gardens. The adults are nocturnal and come to lights at night.
