About the Lasiocampidae
The Lappet moths (Lasiocampidae) are closely related to the Bombycoidea superfamily; in fact so close, that it has once even been suggested to include them. It never came that far and they are now considered as the sister group to the Bombycoidea.
It is a large and poorly studied family with approximately 2000 species in 224 genera. This number can go up significantly, once the family is thoroughly revised.
Lasiocampidae go from fingernail small as in the Malacosoma genus to a wingspan up to fifteen centimeter for some of the African Gonometa.
The Lappets occur worldwide (except for the coldest and driest parts of the planet).
Rearing Lasiocampidae
Rearing Lappets is fun! Many have fairly large caterpillars for the size of the moths. Large ... or colorful ... or both and often hairy. And in many cases they are more or less polyphage, feeding on quite many different plants. However, when you receive an unknown species and you have to find something they can use as an alternative food plant always go for Rosa, Pinus, Quercus and Salix first. If that doesn't work expand to Prunus, Eucalyptus and a grass if it's a small species. With this you get most of them started. If all that doesn't work try whatever you have available.
Most species are easy, but they do have a weakness. Many are social caterpillars and stay closely together. When one gets sick, often the rest follows, resulting in a fatal collapse of the brood. For that reason it is always better to keep only the first instars in a plastic container. Older and thus larger caterpillars should move to a netted cage.
Genera on this website
M - R