Caterpillars and a food plant of Hemiceras pallidula Guenée (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) in Tobago, West Indies

Abstract

The authors provide the first formal description of the insect's caterpillar stages, including its distinct colorful markings and gregarious feeding habits and identifies the Hairy Pois Doux (Inga oerstediana) as the primary larval food plant, correcting previous botanical misidentifications in the region. The note also clarifies the moth's distribution, noting its confirmed presence in Tobago while highlighting its unexpected absence from Trinidad.