Watching Insects

Tent Caterpillars (Malacosoma sp.)
March 28, 2007

I found a group of very small (1/4”) tent caterpillars on a tree that had 3 egg masses on twigs. I also found large numbers of velvet mites (Acari Trombidiidae) crawling over tree trunks. I discovered two pairs of mites that were apparently involved in some type of aggression. Two Orange Wing moths (Lepidoptera Geometridae Mellilia xanthometata) were flying through the woods near dusk.