Thaumetopoeidae
| Thaumetopoeidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A male Pine Processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Thaumetopoeidae |
| Genera | |
|
Aglaosoma | |
Thaumetopoeidae (sometimes incorrectly spelled "Thaumatopoeidae") is a small family of moths in the order Lepidoptera. The genera in this family have been historically treated as a subfamily within Notodontidae instead.
The larval stage of some Thaumetopoeidae are known as processionary caterpillars, so named because they move in columns in search of food, resembling a procession. Some of the species, like the Pine and Oak Processionary, can constitute a health hazard.
Caterpillars of the Pine Processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa)