I don’t know if immature moths feel as happy as kids do when they crowd together in a tent, but some of them love making tents.

At this time of the year, in Gainesville, Florida, one can see trees that have only just started sprouting leaves but already have tents with caterpillars in them.

Here are two common tent caterpillars side by side, both from this week:

tent caterpillar

Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum)

tent caterpillar

Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria)

 

More about these species:

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Forest Tent Caterpillar