Bug FAQHag Moth
Phobetron pithecium · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Limacodidae
Also called: Hag [monkey Slug] Moth, Monkey Slug
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan up to about 3 cm, while larvae grow 1.5 to 2.5 cm long. Larvae feed on the undersides of many deciduous trees and shrubs, such as apple, oak and willow. The species is common in orchards, lives solitarily, and the caterpillar may irritate human skin.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Males have clear, translucent wings, while females are drab brown-gray with yellow leg scales. Females fly by day and mimic bees, even showing pollen sacs; males mimic wasps.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adult hag moths reach a wingspan of up to 3 cm (about 1.2 in). Caterpillars grow to 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.59 to 0.98 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Handling the caterpillar has been reported to cause skin irritation in people.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are solitary and frequently seen in orchards, though they are not a major agricultural threat. Larvae live on the undersides of leaves of various deciduous trees and shrubs.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one generation a year in the north and multiple generations in the south. It pupates inside a cup-shaped cocoon that has a circular escape hatch.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In North America, one generation occurs per year in the northern part, while two or more occur in the southern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
The larva is distinctive but may be mistaken for a shed spider skin or leaf debris.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Can the hag moth caterpillar irritate my skin?
Yes, contact with the caterpillar can cause skin irritation.
Source: Wikipedia
What do adult hag moths look like?
Males have translucent wings; females are drab brown-gray with yellow leg scales and mimic bees, while males mimic wasps.
Source: Wikipedia
Which trees do the larvae feed on?
They eat the undersides of leaves of many deciduous trees such as apple, oak, walnut and willow.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does the hag moth have each year?
One generation in the northern US and two or more in the southern US.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Limacodidae)
Saddleback Caterpillar MothAcharia stimuleaCan sting
Spiny Oak-slug MothEuclea delphiniiVenomous
Yellow-shouldered Slug MothLithacodes fasciolaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Skiff MothProlimacodes badiaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Crowned Slug MothIsa textulaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Yellow-collared Slug MothApoda y-inversaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phobetron_pithecium
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.