Small Eggar Caterpillar - Eriogaster Lanestris, Forncett End, Norfolk, England Stock Photography

Small Eggar Caterpillar - Eriogaster lanestris, Forncett End, Norfolk, England. E. lanestris eggs hatch in April and May, and following their emergence, caterpillars immediately construct tents out of silk at their hatching site, or nearby on the same bush. They live in these tents as colonies of approximately 200 of their full siblings during their development. They continually repair and expand the same structure throughout larval development. The tent consists of layers of silk fibers that form air pockets which serve to insulate the nest and provide resting spaces for caterpillars inside.