Flannel moth

Flannel moth

Megalopyge opercularis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Megalopygidae
Genera
See text

The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. The larvae are called puss caterpillars, and with their long hairs, resemble cotton balls. They have venomous spines that can cause a painful sting and inflammation lasting for several days. In some cases, the sting may cause headache, nausea, and shock-like symptoms. Perhaps the most notorious for stinging is the caterpillar of Megalopyge opercularis.

A Megalopyge opercularis caterpillar on Kent Island, Maryland: a highly toxic species

Genera

References

Natural History Museum genus database
"Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota". cedarcreek.umn.edu.
BugGuide
USGS--Caterpillars of Eastern Forests
Auburn University
Moths of Borneo—lists the family as neotropical
Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension
Ohio State University

Extant Lepidoptera families

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota

Suborder Zeugloptera

Micropterigoidea	Micropterigidae (mandibulate archaic moths)

Suborder Aglossata

Agathiphagoidea	Agathiphagidae (kauri moths)

Suborder Heterobathmiina

Heterobathmioidea	Heterobathmiidae

Suborder Glossata

Dacnonypha

Eriocranioidea	Eriocraniidae

Acanthoctesia

Acanthopteroctetoidea	Acanthopteroctetidae (archaic sun moths)

Lophocoronina

Lophocoronoidea	Lophocoronidae

Neopseustina

Neopseustoidea	Neopseustidae (archaic bell moths)

Exoporia

Hepialoidea	Anomosetidae Hepialidae (swift moths, ghost moths) Neotheoridae (Amazonian primitive ghost moths) Palaeosetidae (miniature ghost moths) Prototheoridae (African primitive ghost moths)

Mnesarchaeoidea	Mnesarchaeidae (New Zealand primitive moths)

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Incurvarioidea	Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths) Cecidosidae Crinopterygidae Heliozelidae Incurvariidae Prodoxidae (yucca moths)

Andesianoidea	Andesianidae (Andean endemic moths)

Nepticuloidea	Nepticulidae (pigmy, or midget moths) Opostegidae (white eyecap moths)

Palaephatoidea	Palaephatidae (Gondwanaland moths)

Tischerioidea	Tischeriidae (trumpet leaf miner moths)

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Simaethistoidea	Simaethistidae

Tineoidea	Acrolophidae (burrowing webworm moths) Arrhenophanidae Eriocottidae (Old World spiny-winged moths) Lypusidae Psychidae (bagworm moths) Tineidae (fungus moths)

Gracillarioidea	Bucculatricidae (ribbed cocoon makers) Douglasiidae (Douglas moths) Gracillariidae Roeslerstammiidae

Yponomeutoidea	Acrolepiidae (false diamondback moths) Bedelliidae Glyphipterigidae (sedge moths) Heliodinidae Lyonetiidae Plutellidae Yponomeutidae (ermine moths) Ypsolophidae

Gelechioidea	Agonoxenidae (palm moths) Batrachedridae Blastobasidae Coleophoridae (case-bearers, case moths) Cosmopterigidae (cosmet moths) Elachistidae (grass-miner moths) Ethmiidae Gelechiidae (twirler moths) Holcopogonidae Lecithoceridae (long-horned moths) Metachandidae Momphidae (mompha moths) Oecophoridae (concealer moths) Chimabachidae Pterolonchidae Scythrididae (flower moths) Symmocidae Xyloryctidae (timber moths)

Galacticoidea	Galacticidae

Zygaenoidea	Heterogynidae Zygaenidae (burnet, forester, or smoky moths) Himantopteridae Lacturidae Somabrachyidae Megalopygidae (flannel moths) Aididae Anomoeotidae Cyclotornidae Epipyropidae (planthopper parasite moths) Dalceridae (slug caterpillars) Limacodidae (slug, or cup moths)

Cossoidea	Cossidae (carpenter millers, or goat moths) Dudgeoneidae (dudgeon carpenter moths)

Sesioidea	Brachodidae (little bear moths) Castniidae (castniid moths: giant butterfly-moths, sun moths) Sesiidae (clearwing moths)

Choreutoidea	Choreutidae (metalmark moths)

Tortricoidea	Tortricidae (tortrix moths)

Urodoidea	Urodidae (false burnet moths)

Schreckensteinioidea	Schreckensteiniidae (bristle-legged moths)

Epermenioidea	Epermeniidae (fringe-tufted moths)

Alucitoidea	Alucitidae (many-plumed moths) Tineodidae (false plume moths)

Pterophoroidea	Pterophoridae (plume moths)

Whalleyanoidea	Whalleyanidae

Immoidea	Immidae

Copromorphoidea	Copromorphidae (tropical fruitworm moths) Carposinidae (fruitworm moths)

Hyblaeoidea	Hyblaeidae (teak moths)

Pyraloidea	Pyralidae (snout moths) Crambidae (grass moth)

Thyridoidea	Thyrididae (picture-winged leaf moths)

Mimallonoidea	Mimallonidae (sack bearer moths)

Lasiocampoidea	Lasiocampidae (eggars, snout moths, or lappet moths)

Bombycoidea	Anthelidae (Australian lappet moth) Bombycidae (silk moths) Brahmaeidae (Brahmin moths) Carthaeidae (Dryandra moth) Endromidae (Kentish Glory and relatives) Eupterotidae Lemoniidae Saturniidae (saturniids) Sphingidae (hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms) Phiditiidae

Noctuoidea	Doidae Erebidae (underwing, tiger, tussock, litter, snout, owlet moths) Euteliidae Noctuidae (daggers, sallows, owlet moths, quakers, cutworms, darts) Nolidae (tuft moths) Notodontidae (prominents, kittens) Oenosandridae

Drepanoidea	Epicopeiidae (oriental swallowtail moths) Drepanidae (hook-tips)

Geometroidea	Sematuridae Uraniidae Geometridae (geometer moths)

Cimelioidea	Cimeliidae (gold moths)

Calliduloidea	Callidulidae (Old World butterfly-moths)

Superfamily unassigned	Millieriidae

Rhopalocera
(butterflies)

Hedyloidea	Hedylidae (American moth-butterflies)

Hesperioidea	Hesperiidae (skippers)

Papilionoidea (true butterflies)	Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged butterflies: blues, coppers and relatives) Nymphalidae (brush-footed, or four-footed butterflies) Papilionidae (swallowtail butterflies) Pieridae (whites, yellows, orangetips, sulphurs) Riodinidae (metalmarks)

Note: division Monotrysia is not a clade.

Taxonomy of the Lepidoptera · Lists by region

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