A scanning electron microscope study has enabled an explanation as to why the 
brown-tail moth provokes Lepidopterism. The brown-tail moth only provokes 
Lepidopterism via a transmission of the urticating hairs of its caterpillar. 
Urticating moths (genus Hylesia and Anaphae) protect their eggs and young 
caterpillars with urticating hairs, thus it is very ambiguous to label erucism 
as the contact dermatitis produced by caterpillar production or Lepidopterism as 
the contact dermatitis caused by moth urticating hairs.