Orgyia trigotephras Boisduval, 1829

Host plants:
The larvae are polyphagous on most often low-growing shrubs, trees and occasionally also herbs. They often feed on broom species and on some, mostly evergreen oaks like Quercus coccifera.

Habitat:
Orgyia trigotephras inhabits dry and warm, grove-rich places like garrigues, maquis or scrub.

Life cycle:
Orgyia trigotephras occurs in one or - if summer drought does not prevent it - also several generations between May and autumn. I found the larvae in Cyprus in April and in the Spanish Monegros in May. The egg hibernates. The female stays within the cocoon. Copulation takes place through the silken casing of the cocoon and also the eggs are laid there, mixed with abdominal hair.

Remarks:
Orgyia trigotephras occurs in N-Africa, S-Europe and W-Asia (S-Turkey, Near East).