GREGARIOUS CATERPILLARS

This species belongs to a small, but interesting family of silk producing moths (Thaumetopoeidae) which are well-named as procession or gregarious moths. The rather hairy caterpillars are frequently seen bunched together on the trunk of a tree or shrub, which is their food-plant. At times they may wander off across the ground in a compact procession behind their leaders.

The fully developed caterpillars spin silken cocoons which are also compacted together in what are called bagnests - sometimes involving as many as 600 individuals.