Phobetron pithecium
Phobetron pithecium, the hag moth, is a moth of the family Limacodidae. Its larva is known as the monkey slug.
Life cycle
One generation a year occurs in the north, but two or more happen in the southern United States.Larva
[Image:Phob pith.JPG|thumb|left|Larva, Michigan, mid-August] [Image:PhobUnderside.JPG|thumb|Underside of larva, showing reduced legs]The larva is distinctive, with no close analogues, although it may be mistaken for the shed skin of a hairy spider or leaf debris. It has nine pairs of curly projections or tubercles of varying lengths from the flattened body, each densely covered in hairs. The third, fifth and seventh projection are often longer than the others. The caterpillar has been reported to cause irritation to humans. Like all limacodids, the legs are shortened and the prolegs are reduced to suction cups. The "arms" or tubercles can fall off without harming the caterpillar, aiding the larva in defense. The larvae are in length.
It is solitary and is not a very significant agricultural threat, but it is a common sight in orchards.