Malacosoma disstria
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The forest tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma disstria) is a moth found throughout North America, especially in the eastern regions. Unlike related tent caterpillar species, the larvae of forest tent caterpillars do not make tents, but rather, weave a silky sheet where they lie together during molting. They also lay down strands of silk as they move over branches and travel as groups along these pheromone-containing silk trails. The caterpillars are social, traveling together to feed and massing as a group at rest. Group behavior diminishes as the caterpillars increase in size, so that by the fifth instar (molt) the caterpillars are feeding and resting independently.
The adult moths of this species favor oak, sweetgum, tupelo, aspen, and sugar maple for egg laying in the summer. The females lay eggs in masses of up to 300, which are stuck to twigs and covered with a gluey cement called spumaline, which prevents them from desiccating and freezing. Eggs hatch the following spring. The larvae can be found feeding on many other species of deciduous trees or shrubs. High population density outbreaks tend to recur at reasonably regular intervals every decade or so and usually last two to three years, during which time trees and shrubs can be almost completely denuded of leaves. Most plants replace the lost leaves without permanent damage. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Voyageurs National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth sighting in Congaree National Park on a given day, based on 110 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 145 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth in Congaree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July to February, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth sightings, Congaree National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Elk Island National Park (Canada, about 40%) and Voyageurs National Park (United States, about 20%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth that you can see in Congaree National Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Southern Pearly-Eye (about 40%), Pearl Crescent (about 40%) and Zebra Swallowtail (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Congaree National Park (110 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
