About Euclea delphinii (Boisduval, 1832)
Euclea delphinii, commonly known as the spiny oak slug, is the larval caterpillar form of a moth species that belongs to the family Limacodidae. Across most northern portions of its range, this species produces one generation per year, with caterpillars active from late June to October. From Missouri southward, the species has two or more generations per year. Caterpillars are generally encountered from June to October, while adult moths emerge between April and September. The species' range extends from eastern Minnesota to Maine and New Brunswick, and it is most commonly found in West Virginia. According to USDA 2022 data, male individuals drastically outnumber females in populations of this species. In most of the eastern United States, there is one generation of caterpillars per year, which are active from late June to October. In Missouri and the Deep South, two generations of caterpillars develop each year. Spiny oak slug caterpillars feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees and shrubs, including but not limited to apple, ash, basswood, beech, birch, blueberry, cherry, chestnut, hackberry, hickory, maple, oak, poplar, sycamore, and willow.
