Diet

• The caterpillars of Megalopyge are generally polyphagous and feed on a wide variety of trees and shrubs.

• Different species vary in their host-plant preferences, but foliage of woody plants is particularly important throughout the genus.

Habitat

• The caterpillars occur in deciduous forests, woodland edges, scrub, gardens, orchards and other habitats containing suitable trees and shrubs.

• They can also occur in disturbed and cultivated areas where their broad range of host plants is present.

• In tropical and subtropical regions, species of Megalopyge occupy a variety of forest and secondary-vegetation habitats.

Description

• The caterpillars are typically stout and densely covered with long, soft, silky hairs, giving them a furry or woolly appearance.

• Beneath the apparently soft covering are shorter, hollow venomous spines associated with poison glands. These spines can cause a painful sting on contact, and all larval stages may possess them.

• The hairs may range from cream, yellowish or grey to brown or darker shades, depending on the species.

• In Megalopyge opercularis, the mature caterpillar is commonly covered in dense tan to greyish-brown hairs, with the hairs extending beyond the rear of the body to form a tail-like tuft.

• The head and legs are largely concealed beneath the dense covering of hairs, giving the caterpillar its characteristic furry appearance.