# Lackey moth (*Malacosoma neustria*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/lackey-moth  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The lackey moth (Malacosoma neustria) is an insect in the butterflies and moths group, belonging to the family Lasiocampidae. It is classified in the order Lepidoptera, superfamily Lasiocampoidea, subfamily Malacosominae and genus Malacosoma. Its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1758), and it is also called the Lackey or The lackey.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | forest |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Active | Day and night (cathemeral) |
| Generations a year | One |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Insecta
- order: Lepidoptera
- family: Lasiocampidae
- genus: Malacosoma
- species: *Malacosoma neustria* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Bombyx bilineatus*, *Bombyx neustria*, *Bombyx pyri*, *Bombyx unicolor*, *Clisiocampa neustria*, *Gastropacha neustria*, *Malacosoma alba*, *Malacosoma annularis*, *Malacosoma approximata*, *Malacosoma bicolor*, *Malacosoma brevipennis*, *Malacosoma brunnea*, *Malacosoma castrensioides*, *Malacosoma cervina*, *Malacosoma cervina-confluens*, *Malacosoma cervina-fracta*, *Malacosoma cervina-unicolor*, *Malacosoma cervina-virgata*, *Malacosoma cinnamomea*, *Malacosoma concolor*, *Malacosoma confluens*, *Malacosoma contrasta*, *Malacosoma flava*, *Malacosoma flavescens*, *Malacosoma maculifera*, *Malacosoma mauginii*, *Malacosoma neustria f. nigrapici*, *Malacosoma nigrapici*, *Malacosoma ochracea*, *Malacosoma ochracea-fracta*, *Malacosoma ochracea-unicolor*, *Malacosoma ochracea-virgata*, *Malacosoma ochrea-confluens*, *Malacosoma palierina*, *Malacosoma pallida*, *Malacosoma quercina*, *Malacosoma quercus*, *Malacosoma unicolor*, *Malacosoma virgata*, *Malacosoma vulgaris*, *Malacosoma x-strigata*, *Phalaena annularis*, *Phalaena neustria*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the lackey moth?

The lackey moth is an insect in the butterflies and moths group, classified in the order Lepidoptera.

### What is the scientific name of the lackey moth?

The scientific name of the lackey moth is Malacosoma neustria.

### Who named the lackey moth and when?

The authority for Malacosoma neustria is (Linnaeus, 1758).

### What family does the lackey moth belong to?

The lackey moth belongs to the family Lasiocampidae, in the superfamily Lasiocampoidea and subfamily Malacosominae.

### What other names does the lackey moth have?

The lackey moth is also called the Lackey or The lackey.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [TraitCH: a multi-taxa functional trait dataset for Switzerland and Europe](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063844), CC BY 4.0, 2.0. Chauvier, Y., Adde, A., Bergamini, A. et al. (2025) TraitCH: a multi-taxa functional trait dataset for Switzerland and Europe. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15063844
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Lackey moth (Malacosoma neustria). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/lackey-moth