# Fall Webworm Moth (*Hyphantria cunea*) The Fall Webworm Moth is a fuzzy little insect that loves to spin big webs in trees. These webs can look like fluffy cotton candy and are home to many caterpillars that turn into beautiful moths. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 24 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Fall Webworm Moth](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hyphantria_cunea%252C_adult.jpg&width=800) Photo: TampAGS , for AGS Media, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hyphantria_cunea%252C_adult.jpg) ## Appearance The Fall Webworm Moth has a fuzzy, stout white body and mostly pure white wings, though some individuals exhibit small, scattered black spots. It is visually distinct from most other white moths by its hairiness and often unblemished white appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Erebidae - **Genus:** Hyphantria ## Interesting facts - Caterpillars of this moth can be either black-headed or red-headed, but they are both the same species! - Even though their caterpillars make enormous webs, the adult moths themselves only live for about 5-10 days. - Female Fall Webworm Moths can lay over 500 tiny eggs at once, all tucked neatly under a leaf. - The huge webs they build can completely cover tree branches, looking like spooky ghost costumes in the fall! ## Special abilities - **Silken Shelter Builder:** Fall Webworm Moth caterpillars can spin enormous communal silk webs that protect them from predators and the weather as they feed. - **Voracious Foliage Feaster:** Fall Webworm Moth caterpillars can eat leaves from over 100 different kinds of trees, making them adaptable to many habitats. - **Multi-Generational Multiplier:** Fall Webworm Moths can complete two or more life cycles in a single warm season, helping their populations grow quickly. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-40 mm - **Size:** 10-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 5-10 days - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 800 ## Diet & Feeding As caterpillars, they munch on leaves from many different kinds of trees! - **Age differences:** Adult moths typically do not feed or only sip nectar; all the extensive eating happens in the caterpillar stage. - **Primary Foods:** Apple leaves, Cherry leaves, Walnut leaves, Pecan leaves, Elm leaves, Maple leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Black Cherry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-cherry) (*Prunus serotina*) — Their caterpillars munch on these leaves. - **Eaten by:** [Pecan](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pecan) (*Carya illinoinensis*) — A favorite food source for the web-building caterpillars. - **Eats:** [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) — Birds often feed on the caterpillars, despite the web protection. - **Parasitizes:** Tobacco Hornworm Parasitoid Wasp (*Cotesia congregata*) — Lays eggs inside the caterpillars, which then develop inside them. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Web Builder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/web-builder): This trait characterizes organisms that construct elaborate silken webs for catching prey, shelter, or reproduction. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's best to look at the webs from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Fall Webworm Moth? Compare resting wing shape, forewing markings, antennae and body build. Small brown moths can hinge on fine details a phone photo can't always catch. Moth Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Fall Webworm Moth's wingspan? 25-40 mm ### How big is Fall Webworm Moth? 10-15 mm ### How long does Fall Webworm Moth live? 5-10 days ### What does Fall Webworm Moth eat? As caterpillars, they munch on leaves from many different kinds of trees! ### Where is Fall Webworm Moth usually found? Forests ### How does Fall Webworm Moth hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Fall Webworm Moth have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Bainbridge Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bainbridge-commercial-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Chatham Arch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chatham-arch) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood - [Convent and Academy of the Visitation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/convent-and-academy-of-the-visitation) — Alabama, US · Campus - [Fort Brown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-brown) — US · Historic Site - [Hedgesville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hedgesville-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Lilacia Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lilacia-park) — Illinois, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Fall Webworm Moth](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/fall-webworm-moth) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Fall Webworm Moth: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fall-webworm-moth)