Northern States and southern Canada where it feeds principally 
on sugar maple. Its life history and habits are similar to those of 
the red-humped oakworm. 
The variable oak leaf caterpillar, Heterocampa manteo(Dbldy.), 
occurs in nearly all of the States and Canadian Provinces east of 
a line drawn from western Ontario through eastern Texas. Its 
hosts include a wide variety of deciduous trees. All species of 
oaks are attacked, but white oak is preferred. Other important 
species attacked include beech, basswood, paper birch, American 
elm, walnut, boxelder, persimmon, and apple (771). The adult is 
ashy gray and has a wingspread of about 37 to 42 mm. (fig. 
119 A). Full-grown larvae are yellowish green and about 37 mm. 
long. The body is variously marked, usually with a broad band 
down the back (fig. 119 B). 
Pupation occurs in early spring, and the adults appear from 
early in May in the South to late May or early June in the North. 
Eggs are deposited singly on the leaves, each female laying up to 
500 eggs. Young larvae skeletonize the lower surfaces of the 
leaves and older ones eat entire leaves, excepting the larger veins. 
Mature larvae move to the ground and spin cocoons in the litter 
or top soil. Winter is spent in the prepupal stage. There are two 
generations per year in the South and one in the North. 
Trees of all sizes are attacked, and heavy defoliation may 
occur anywhere in the insect’s range, especially in the South. 
Some outbreaks have been extensive, covering millions of acres 
and extending for hundreds of miles. Tree mortality has usually 
not been serious, however, since most trees of sapling size or 
larger are able to withstand several years of extensive defoliation. 
F-496932, 496931 
FIGURE 119.—The variable oak leaf caterpillar, 
Heterocampa manteo: A, adults; B, larvae. 
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