Hylesia nigricans
Encyclopedia
Hylesia nigricans is a species
of lepidoptera
of the Saturniidae
family
. It is a nocturnal moth
endemic to Argentina
and Brazil
. It can be found mainly in the north and center of Argentina and the south of Brazil, due to climatic factors which favor its reproduction.
The female adult can reach an average wingspan of 45 mm
. Its larvae have an average length of 40 to 45 mm, with black and yellow bodies covered by urticating hair
which, upon contact with skin, produce irritation, causing an extended dermatitis
. The larvae are known in Spanish as gata peluda (hairy cat) or bicho quemador (burning bug). The adult is a dark-colored moth - which is where its name comes from - with the back of its abdomen covered by smooth golden hairs.
It possesses a voracious appetite, attacking different kinds of plants: fruit bearing, ornamental and forest plants. It has been declared a national plague
in Argentina in 1911.
There exists a range of chemical products aimed at controlling their development.
Once the larvae are born, they slither in large groups along tree trunks, branches and leaves, usually causing vast defoliation.
Before pupation, the larva gathers leaves and sticks them together with its bodily secretions to form a cocoon, situated either on a plant or among the leaves on the ground. It remains immobile in pupa state during the winter.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
of the Saturniidae
Saturniidae
The Saturniidae, commonly known as saturniids, are among the largest and most spectacular of the moths. They form a family of Lepidoptera, with an estimated 1,300 to 1,500 described species worldwide...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
. It is a nocturnal moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
endemic to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It can be found mainly in the north and center of Argentina and the south of Brazil, due to climatic factors which favor its reproduction.
The female adult can reach an average wingspan of 45 mm
MM
-Computers:* .mm, the Myanmar's Internet country code top-level domain* mm tree, the Andrew Morton's Linux kernel tree* Columbia MM, an early e-mail client* MediaMonkey, a digital media player and media library application-File extension :...
. Its larvae have an average length of 40 to 45 mm, with black and yellow bodies covered by urticating hair
Urticating hair
Urticating hairs, i.e. stinging hairs, are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, some New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. Urtica is Latin for "nettle", and hairs that urticate are characteristic of this type of plant, and many other plants in...
which, upon contact with skin, produce irritation, causing an extended dermatitis
Dermatitis
-Etymology:Dermatitis derives from Greek derma "skin" + -itis "inflammation" and genetic disorder.-Terminology:There are several different types of dermatitis. The different kinds usually have in common an allergic reaction to specific allergens. The term may describe eczema, which is also called...
. The larvae are known in Spanish as gata peluda (hairy cat) or bicho quemador (burning bug). The adult is a dark-colored moth - which is where its name comes from - with the back of its abdomen covered by smooth golden hairs.
It possesses a voracious appetite, attacking different kinds of plants: fruit bearing, ornamental and forest plants. It has been declared a national plague
Plague
-Medicine:* Plague , a specific disease caused by Yersinia pestis. There are three major manifestations:** Bubonic plague** Septicemic plague** Pneumonic plague* An epidemic of infectious disease* A pandemic caused by such a disease...
in Argentina in 1911.
There exists a range of chemical products aimed at controlling their development.
Life cycle
The eggs are laid in overlapping layers of up to 900 units, protected by a yellow cocoon built by the female using her secretions and abdominal hairs. 200 to 740 of these eggs hatch during the spring (October to December).Once the larvae are born, they slither in large groups along tree trunks, branches and leaves, usually causing vast defoliation.
Before pupation, the larva gathers leaves and sticks them together with its bodily secretions to form a cocoon, situated either on a plant or among the leaves on the ground. It remains immobile in pupa state during the winter.