Hylesia nigricans

Hylesia nigricans is a species of lepidoptera of the Saturniidae family. It is a nocturnal moth endemic to Argentina and Brazil. It can be found mainly in the north and center of Argentina and the south of Brazil, due to climatic factors which favor its reproduction.

The female adult can reach an average wingspan of 45 mm. Its larvae have an average length of 40 to 45 mm, with black and yellow bodies covered by urticating hair which, upon contact with skin, produce irritation, causing an extended dermatitis. The larvae are known in Spanish as gata peluda (hairy cat) or bicho quemador (burning bug). The adult is a dark-colored moth - which is where its name comes from - with the back of its abdomen covered by smooth golden hairs.

It possesses a voracious appetite, attacking different kinds of plants: fruit bearing, ornamental and forest plants. It has been declared a national plague in Argentina in 1911.^[1] There exists a range of chemical products aimed at controlling their development.^[2]

Life cycle

The eggs are laid in overlapping layers of up to 900 units, protected by a yellow cocoon built by the female using her secretions and abdominal hairs. 200 to 740 of these eggs hatch during the spring (October to December).

Once the larvae are born, they slither in large groups along tree trunks, branches and leaves, usually causing vast defoliation.

Before pupation, the larva gathers leaves and sticks them together with its bodily secretions to form a cocoon, situated either on a plant or among the leaves on the ground. It remains immobile in pupa state during the winter.

References

External links

• Hylesia nigricans at Lepidoptera Barcode of Life
• Global Species: Hylesia nigricans
• Zipcode Zoo Taxonomy
• Occurrence of Lepidopterism caused by the moth Hylesia nigricans