About Norape cretata (Grote, 1864)
Norape ovina, commonly known as the white flannel moth, is a moth species that belongs to the Megalopygidae family. In the United States, its distribution spans from Washington, D.C. southward to Florida, and westward to Montana and Texas. The species’ range extends further south, through Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama, all the way to Venezuela, Suriname, and Bolivia. This moth has a wingspan of 27 to 33 millimeters. Adult white flannel moths are active in flight from April to May, and again from July to October. Populations in the northern part of the species’ range produce two generations per year, while southern populations likely have more generations annually. The stinging larvae of this moth feed on hackberry and redbud plants.
