Monema flavescens

Walker, 1855

Sort #: 948 | P #: 570074 | MPG #: 4672
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Larval feeding type: External feeder on leaves. It feeds from the tip of the leaf and leaves the midrib and major veins. In the Fall it spins a hard oval cocoon in the fork of twigs, which overwinters. The very distinctive cocoon is whitish with dark brown irregular longitudinal stripes, making it blend in against the twigs in winter.
Larval substrate: Many trees and shrubs, incl. Acer platanoides* (Norway Maple), Acer pseudoplatanus* (Sycamore Maple), Amelanchier* (Serviceberry), Rhamnus* (Buckthorn), Betula nigra* (River Birch), Prunus* (Cherry, Plum), Malus* (Apple), Pyrus* (Pear); less commonly: Quercus* (Oak), Populus* (Poplar), Salix* (Willow), Gleditsia triacanthos* (Honey Locust), Carya* (Hickory), Celtis* (Hackberry)
Phenology: Adult: 5/12 to 7/05 (15 records)

Comment: Introduced to Boston sometime before 1902 on fruit trees and apparently still occurred in the Boston area in the 1940s. It was next reported around the turn of the century on one of the Boston Harbor Islands and again found there in 2018 and in Boxford and Topsfield in 2019. One must assume that the species has occurred at a low level continuously in the Boston area since it was first introduced.

Status in MA (automated assessment): Restricted distribution, uncommon
Status in N. America: Introduced
MA Endangered Species Act status: None
First Year Reported: 1906
Last Year Reported: 2026

Distribution by County: Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk
Number of Records: 79