Identification

• Adult members of the Datana major species are light-brown moths with 1-3/4 inch wingspans. The larvae are about 0.375 inch long and have black heads, yellow bodies and red stripes. They grow to 2 inches long. Mature caterpillars have red heads, red legs, and a red terminal or end segment. Their bodies are mainly black, but they have eight yellow or white, broken lengthwise stripes with numerous bristles. They raise their front and back segments in the air when they are disturbed.
  
  

Life Cycle

• Adult Datana major moths lay clusters of 80 to 100 eggs on the undersides of azalea leaves in the springtime. The young caterpillars feed in clusters. They spend the winter in a pupal stage and emerge when the weather becomes warmer. The adults fly between June and August, while the larvae appear between July and October. They only produce one generation each year in most areas, but some can produce two generations depending on the environment.
  
  

Effects

• Young red headed azalea caterpillars feed on the soft tissue between the leaf veins, leaving leaves with a tattered, lacelike or skeletonized appearance. Older larvae eat entire leaves. The insects prefer Southern indica azalea hybrids in particular, but attack most azalea plants. They do not usually kill azaleas but stunt growth if the plants are severely defoliated. The caterpillars can consume much of the plant before detection, according to North Carolina State University.
  
  

Control Methods

• Azalea caterpillars are harmless to humans. Remove the pests by hand or prune the affected branches or leaves. Spray mature caterpillars with chemical pesticides, such as cyfluthrin or carbaryl. A bactericidal spray of Bacillus thuringiensis infects and kills caterpillars that are smaller than 3/4 inch in length. Removing the caterpillars or applying the appropriate chemical control as soon as detected prevents them from causing further damage.