Range
Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico.
(1)Habitat
Larval cases (bags) are found attached to their foodplants.
Food
Various trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. A pest of red cedar.
(1)Life Cycle
Larvae drag around their cases while feeding. When ready to pupate they attach the cases with silk to a branch. Males squeeze their way out, often losing much of their wing scales in the process. They seek wingless, legless females who never leave their bags. The males insert their abdomen to mate, and the females lay their eggs inside their own cases. Eggs overwinter and after hatching they disperse and begin forming their own bags.
Remarks
Predators include the common Ichneumon wasp Itoplectis conquisitor
Print References
Covell, page 450, bag pictured on plate 2 (#3), male on plate 62 (#33)
(1)
Wright, illustrations of bag and male
(2)Internet References
Various photos at Forestry Images.
Photo of adult male from the Clemson Arthropod collection.
Factsheet from PennState Cooperative Extension
Info from Texas Cooperative Extension
