Hyphantria cunea Drury, 1770

In Europe, where H. cunea has been introduced, larvae are rapid defoliators of forest and fruit tree species. In eastern Europe, mulberry and the widely planted amenity tree Acer negundo are seen to be particularly attacked. Experiments showed that sixth-instar larvae of H. cunea can consume a daily average of 435 mm² of fresh foliage of Fraxinus while seventh-instar larvae brought it to an average of 814 mm² (Jarfas and Miklos, 1986). Their colonial habit (nests of silk enclosing the leaves) is particularly damaging to individual trees. H. cunea was the object of great concern in the 1950s and 1960s, but the species is now well established in Europe, no longer spreading, and only locally damaging. On its home territory in USA, it is conspicuous, mainly on wild trees, but seldom of economic importance (Johnson and Lyon, 1994). CABI, acesso em 20/06/2021)