Natural history of the processionary moths (spp.): New insights in relation to climate change

Abstract

It is difficult to find a genus of Lepidoptera showing the high variability of life history traits observed in Thaumetopoea. There are typical summer feeding close to winter feeding species, and in one special case a recent switch has been detected even within one species, the pine processionary moth, indicating that the natural history traits are constantly evolving at a fast rate. There are species adapted to cold conditions of high mountains and high latitude close to truly Mediterranean and sub–desert region species. All species have gregarious behaviour as larva and are protected against vertebrate predators by urticating setae.