Moths of North Carolina

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View PDF	Erebidae Members:	Hyphantria Members:	427 NC Records

Hyphantria cunea (Drury, 1773) - Fall Webworm Moth

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Taxonomy

Superfamily:
Noctuoidea

Family:
Erebidae

Subfamily:
Arctiinae

Tribe:
Arctiini

P3 Number:
930319

MONA Number:
8140.00

Comments: The only member of its genus in North America. Two species, cunea and textor, have been recognized in the past (e.g., Brimley, 1938; Forbes, 1960), but only cunea is considered valid now (Hodges, et al., 1983).

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)

Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD

Technical Description, Adults: Forbes (1960)

Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1960); Wagner (2005)

Adult Markings: Adults are white with variable amounts of black spotting. They are typically smaller but similar to Spilosoma species, also possessing yellow on fore-coxae and femora like all but S. latipennis. Particularly similar to S. congrua, with both possessing all white abdomens and overlapping in size. The antennal shaft of Hyphantria is typically black, however (at least in the typical form, Forbes, 1960), whereas it is usually white in Spilosoma species (Forbes also describes form textor of Hyphantria as having white shafts). Hyphantria are also usually smaller, slimmer, and occasionally much darker than Spilosoma.

Wingspan: 25 - 39 mm (Covell, 1984)

Adult Structural Features: Hyphantria only possess a single pair of tibial spurs (terminal) on the hind-legs instead of the two pairs found in Spilosoma (Forbes, 1960).

Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].

Immatures and Development: Larvae are social, building large communal webs that are quite conspicuous; unlike the Eastern Tent Caterpillars, which build their webs at branch crotches, Hyphantria larvae build theirs out on the tips of the branches. The larvae are highly variable in coloration, ranging from pale yellowish-green to dark gray (Wagner, 2005). Some of the hairs are extremely long, greater than 4-5 body segments in length (Wagner, 2005).

Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution: Occurs statewide (Brimley, 1938)

County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Has three broods in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain but the pattern is less clear in the Mountains

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Wagner (2005) lists the habitats of this species as "yards and parks, fields, fencerows, woodlands, and forests." In North Carolina, it is found in most habitats that possess hardwood trees, including maritime and coastal fringe forests, sandhills, floodplains, mesic slopes, and dry ridges and summits.

Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous, but feed primarily on hardwood trees, unlike most other members of the Arctiinae, and have been recorded from over 400 species of hardwoods (Wagner, 2005). In North Carolina, we have observed it feeding on a wide range of hardwoods, including ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), blueberry (Vaccinium), cherry (Prunus), cypress (Taxodium), hawthorn (Crataegus), hickory (Carya), holly (Ilex), hornbeam (Carpinus), maple (Acer), mulberry (Morus), persimmon (Diospyros), privet (Ligustrum), redbud (Cercis), sourwood (Oxydendrum), sweetgum (Liquidambar), sycamore (Platanus), tupelo (Nyssa), walnut (Juglans), and willow (Salix). While females seem to have preferences for certain trees (such as Sweetgum) for oviposition, after the early communal feeding stages, larvae disperse and can be found eating pretty much any nearby tree (as well as some non-trees). We also have feeding records for Muscadine (Muscadinia rotundifolia), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), blackberry (Rubus), and Peppervine (Ampelopsis arborea). - View

Observation Methods: Populations are easily detected by the communal webs made by the larvae. Adults come well to blacklights, with up to 90 being collected in a single trap. None have been recorded at bait.

Wikipedia

See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]

State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

Comments: This species is abundant, widespread, and makes use of a wide variety of habitats across the state, including wooded residential areas. It appears to be quite secure.

Photo Gallery for Hyphantria cunea - Fall Webworm Moth

204 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

	Recorded by: Raina Scura on 2025-06-10 Buncombe Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-02 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-02 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-26 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Niznik, David George on 2025-05-09 Cumberland Co. Comment:		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-04-01 Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-26 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-03-24 Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-03-04 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams on 2024-10-02 Bertie Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George on 2024-09-30 Durham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-22 Randolph Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-21 Madison Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-15 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-09-12 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-05 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-09-02 Bladen Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George, Steve Hall on 2024-08-31 Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-31 Orange Co. Comment:		Recorded by: David George on 2024-08-29 Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman on 2024-08-28 Carteret Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-26 Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-26 Wilson Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-20 Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-09 Mitchell Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-09 Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02 Chatham Co. Comment:		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-07-27 Rowan Co. Comment: