Buck Moth Hemileuca maia Drury, 1773    Synonyms: Hodges #7730.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Saturniidae   >   Genus Hemileuca   

Description:

The painful looking spines of the Buck Moth caterpillar are indeed poisonous and may result in a painful burning sensation if touched.

Relationships:

Host plants include American Hazelnut, Black Cherry, Southern Red Oak, Bear Oak, Chinkapin Oak, Dwarf Chinkapin Oak, Northern Red Oak, Shumard's Oak, Post Oak, Black Oak, Sandbar Willow, Prairie Willow, and Cranberry (Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants).

There are 52 records in the project database.

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A female Buck Moth in Cecil Co., Maryland (10/14/2015). Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

A female Buck Moth in Cecil Co., Maryland (10/14/2015). Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

Mating Buck Moths (male on left) in Charles Co., Maryland (10/27/2010). Verified by David J. Ferguson/BugGuide. Photo by Eric Gofreed. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Worcester Co., Maryland (10/29/2022). (c) danieltayloroc, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by danieltayloroc via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (10/27/2022). (c) jtylerbell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Prince George's Co., Maryland (10/26/2012). (c) Alona Bookbinder, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Photo by Alona Bookbinder via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/24/2023). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth collected in Allegany Co., Maryland (10/23/1987). Photo by John Glaser. (MBP list)

Buck Moth caterpillars in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/23/2017). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/30/2018). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/14/2023). (c) Matthew Beziat, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Wicomico Co., Maryland (6/27/2022). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Wicomico Co., Maryland (6/27/2022). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Claire Ciafré, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Claire Ciafré via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth larva in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/26/2015). Photo by Ashley Bradford. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth caterpillar in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/30/2018). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth caterpillar at Cove Point LNG Property, Calvert Co., Maryland (5/19/2012). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

An early instar of a Buck Moth caterpillar in Howard Co., Maryland (9/5/2013). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth larva in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2015). Photo by Mark Eanes. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth caterpillar in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (7/5/2015). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth larva in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/10/2015). Photo by Mark Eanes. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth caterpillar in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/6/2014). Photo by Seth Metheny. (MBP list)

An early instar Buck Moth caterpillar in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/28/2015). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Buck Moth caterpillar in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/12/2018). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Allegany Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Claire Ciafré, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Claire Ciafré via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Early instar Buck Moth caterpillars on Water Oak in Worcester Co., Maryland (5/16/2020). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Buck Moth in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/3/2016). (c) paul dennehy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Paul Dennehy. (MBP list)


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