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Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar

On August 21, 2015 · Category: Tussock Moth Caterpillars, Woolly Bears · Add Comment

Subject: Couldn’t identify this Caterpillar
Location: Oregon, U.S
August 19, 2015 9:23 pm
Hey! I was on break while doing trail work in Oregon when I found this critter, I was wondering what type of caterpillar he is and I was curious if he was poisonous. Thanks for any help!
Signature: Austin Wolf

Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Dear Austin,
This appears to be a more unusual color variation of the Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar, Lophocampa maculata, based on this BugGuide image. We have numerous images of the more common color pattern of the Spotted Tussock Moth Caterpillar on our site.

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Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar

On August 15, 2015 · Category: Tussock Moth Caterpillars, Woolly Bears Tagged With: Milkweed Meadow · 3 Comments

Subject: Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar
Location: southwestern Ontario, Canada
August 15, 2015 6:09 pm
I was very excited to see that the milkweed I planted in my mother’s garden was well-munched, but somewhat surprised to discover who was munching it! Not monarchs, as I hoped for, but a milkweed tussock moth caterpillar. There were four or five of these little guys. When disturbed, they curl up into a ball and drop to the ground. I haven’t seen them in this area before and so this spotting was particularly interesting to me. I know you have lots of tussock moth caterpillar photos already, but thought I would send this along in case you found it useful.
Thanks for such a great site and all your hard work!
Signature: Alison

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Dear Alison,
Your Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar image is of very high quality and a wonderful addition to our archives.

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Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar Hatchlings

On August 12, 2015 · Category: Woolly Bears · 2 Comments

Subject: Larvae on Milkweed leaves
Location: Haldimand County
August 12, 2015 12:05 pm
These little guys.., about a third of an inch long, had eaten several Eastern Milkweed leaves into skeletal tubes.. they seem to live in a colony on the underside of the leaves and are covered in their own webbing.. I want to know if they are predacious on the Monarch Larvae.. The Monarchs are truly struggling here in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada..
Signature: Bill from Heaven Farm

Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar Hatchlings

Dear Bill,
We believe these are early instar Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars, and you can compare your image with this image from BugGuide. Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars feed on milkweed, as you observed, and we do not believe they pose any threat to Monarch Caterpillars.

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Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar

On August 3, 2015 · Category: Tussock Moth Caterpillars, Woolly Bears · Add Comment

Subject: Big found in Southern Indiana
Location: Southern Indiana
August 3, 2015 5:26 pm
This bug was found in a friends garage. There were several around. And if you bothered them, they would roll up into a ball and then later unroll and crawl off. It was a fluffy looking little fella about one inch long.
Signature: June bullock

Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar

Hi June,
Is there milkweed growing near the garage? This is a Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar, Euchaetes egle, and they are never found far from a milkweed food plant.

Thank you for such a quick response. My friend will be happy to know this little fellow has a name. She was showing it to everybody trying to find out what it was.

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Woolly Bear Hatchlings

On May 10, 2015 · Category: Woolly Bears · Add Comment

Subject: Some kind of larva?
Location: Lubbock, Texas.
May 9, 2015 6:19 pm
Hi.
Shortly after sunset I found this cluster right about eye level on the brick entry way to my home.
Any idea what they are?
Signature: Dan

Woollyb Bear Hatchlings

Dear Dan,
These are hatchling Woolly Bears, the common name for caterpillars of Tiger Moths in the subfamily Arctiinae. We cannot state for certain which species you encountered, but good candidate is the Eyed Tiger Moth or Giant Leopard Moth, Hypercompe scribonia, and when fully grown, the Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillars are about two inches long and dark in coloration.

Woolly Bear Hatchlings

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Countdown just Nine more postings to 20,000: Woolly Bears in Highland Park

On March 31, 2015 · Category: Woolly Bears Tagged With: countdown 10 000 · Add Comment

Subject: Caterpillers – foe or friend
Location: Highland Park, ca (county of LA)
March 30, 2015 8:50 am
Hi. I have been finding lots of black furry caterpillers on the ground in Highland Park, CA. The largest that I have seen is about one and a quarter inches long. I think that they are falling from the eves from businesses on Figueroa (around the 7000 black). There is no real vegetation for them so hide out in so they just cling to the innermost edge of the street. I would like to ID them. And if they should be saved where do they need to be placed (food supply)
Signature: Patricia

Woolly Bear

Dear Patricia,
Your images are quite blurry, but there is little doubt in our mind that this is a Woolly Bear, most likely the caterpillars of the Painted Tiger Moth, Arachnis picta, because we have seen large numbers this year in nearby Mount Washington. They are general feeders that will eat a wide variety of plants commonly considered weeds.

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