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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (Lasiocampoidea) » Tent Caterpillar and Lappet Moths (Lasiocampidae) » Lasiocampinae » Lasiocampini » Malacosoma » Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth - Hodges#7701 (Malacosoma americana)
Photo#116645
June 6, 2007 - Eastern Tent Caterpillar - Parasitism - Malacosoma americana
Copyright © 2007 Stephen Luk

June 6, 2007 - Eastern Tent Caterpillar - Parasitism - Malacosoma americana
Richmond Hill, York Region, Ontario, Canada
June 6, 2007
Here it is again, two days later. The killer has emerged and pupated.
One can usually tell when a Tent Caterpillar has been parasitized at the cocoon stage - the cocoon is flimsy (note the lack of the yellow powdering typical of healthy cocoons) and may not be attached to the substrate (i.e. just sitting on a surface). A "burn" hole can often be seen (as in above) when the cocoon is flipped over.

Images of this individual: tag all
June 4, 2007 - Eastern Tent Caterpillar - Parasitism - Malacosoma americana June 6, 2007 - Eastern Tent Caterpillar - Parasitism - Malacosoma americana
Contributed by Stephen Luk on 8 June, 2007 - 8:15pm
Last updated 15 May, 2008 - 9:58am

Who is it?
So, who is the killer? and, Perhaps, shouldn't this be moved to whoever that pupa belongs to?
… Beatriz Moisset, 15 May, 2008 - 10:01am

 
Tachinid, perhaps.
According to my notes, one of the killers was this Tachinid .
… Stephen Luk, 15 May, 2008 - 10:07am

 
Possible alternative to tachinid...
...is the 'friendly fly,' Sarcophaga aldrichi, which is a parasitoid of tent caterpillars. The only image on BugGuide is of uncertain ID:
… Charley Eiseman, 12 November, 2008 - 11:12am

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