I encountered this species in its larvae stage multiple times in the first week of April 2026 in Beaufort, South Carolina and later in Savannah, Georgia. I distinguished it from the Eastern Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) by the dorsal pattern: M. disstria has a row of white keyhole‑shaped spots, whereas M. americanum has a solid white dorsal stripe.

Unlike other Malacosoma species, the larvae of M. disstria do not construct tents. Instead, they create silk mats on trunks and large branches where groups rest or molt, and they lay silk trails along their travel routes. I likely observed this when a wandering larva deposited silk strands in a building crevice (image to the left).

The caterpillars are generally harmless but may cause mild allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. They can defoliate hardwood trees, and while most defoliation is temporary, populations occasionally reach outbreak levels that cause extensive but usually non‑fatal defoliation.