eastern tent caterpillar moth

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_tent_caterpillar

Uploaded on May 14, 2010

Macro of Hundreds of Caterpillars ~ Tents & eating! On May 13, 2010 we came across many bushes with a 'bloom' of Western Tent Caterpillars. Opportunity for Sony Macro HD Video - I love to film nature. It's something that is readily doable by anyone with a good consumer handycam, the Sony especially captures great clarity and detail with it's lens.

Tent caterpillars are readily recognized because they are social, colorful, diurnal and build conspicuous silk tents in the branches of host trees. Some species, such as the eastern tent caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum, build a single large tent which is typically occupied through the whole of the larval stage while others build a series of small tents that are sequentially abandoned. The forest tent caterpillar moth, Malacosoma disstrium, is exceptional in that the larvae build no tent at all, aggregating instead on silken mats that they spin on the leaves or bark of trees. Tents facilitate aggregation and serve as focal sites of thermal regulatory behavior.

Tent caterpillars hatch from their eggs in the early spring at the time the leaves of their host trees are just unfolding. The caterpillars establish their tent soon after they enclose. The tent is constructed at a site that intercepts the early morning sun. The position of the tent is critical because the caterpillars must bask in the sun to elevate their temperatures above the cool ambient temperatures that occur in the early spring. Studies have shown that when the body temperature of a caterpillar is less than about 15 °C, digestion cannot occur. The tent consists of discrete layers of silk separated by gaps and the temperature in these compartments varies markedly. Caterpillars can adjust their body temperatures by moving from one compartment to another. On cool mornings they typically rest in a tight aggregate just under a sunlit surface of the tent. It is not uncommon to find that the temperature of the aggregate is as much as 30 °C (54 °F) warmer than the surrounding air temperature on cold but sunny spring mornings. Later on in the spring, temperatures may become excessive at mid day and the caterpillars may retreat to the shaded outside surface of the tent to cool down.

Uploaded on May 2, 2008

finding capsules where the eggs are laid is easy. Just look down the branch the coccoon nest is built on.

Uploaded on Jul 13, 2011

Photographed at Larimore, North Dakota (13 July 2011).

Published on Apr 22, 2012

Eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) may be the only insects recognized by their homes rather than their appearance. These sociable caterpillars live together in silk nests, which they build in the crotches of cherry and apple trees. Eastern tent caterpillars may be confused with gypsy moths, or even fall webworm. (From About.com)

Published on Sep 20, 2012

Published on Sep 20, 201