![]() Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Prominent moth caterpillars These caterpillars are in the same family, Arciidae, as the fall webworm and tussocks. Woolly bear caterpillars are often seen crossing roads and driveways, a phenomenon that’s not well understood. Yellow bear are quite variable in appearance, and are often identified through a process of elimination. The woolly bear ( Pyrrharctia isabella) and yellow bear ( Spilosoma virginica) are both tiger moths with two generations per year that eat a wide variety of plants and are observed from spring to fall. The nests naturally break apart, but can be physically removed. ![]() Fall webworm egg masses are unsightly but not typically damaging because otherwise healthy trees have already stored enough energy for winter. ![]() Eastern tent caterpillars feed and form tents in early spring. Fall webworms are first noticed in July, and the caterpillars feed on leaves within the web through the fall. Often mistaken for gypsy moths because of their unsightly egg masses, eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) and fall webworms (Hyphantria cunea) are noticeable because of the webs they form on a variety of landscape trees. Hickory tussock ( Lophocampa caryae) Fall webworm and Eastern tent caterpillars Milkweed tussock ( Euchaetes egle)Īnother is the hickory tussock ( Lophocampa caryae), which can cause a severe reaction when handled and feed on a variety of plants including hickory and oak. The milkweed tussock ( Euchaetes egle) is well known by gardeners who plant or monitor milkweed for monarch butterflies. One notable tussock moth caterpillar is the gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar dispar), an introduced species that defoliates a wide variety of trees including but not limited to oak, apple, birch, poplar and willow. Tussock moth caterpillars are generally recognized by the disk-shaped defensive glands on their abdominal segments and for their prickly tufts of hair. Tussock moth caterpillars are fairly common in the landscape and are infamous because some species can cause a rash when handled. Butterflies and moths are often important pollinators. Caterpillars also yield moths, which are an important prey species for a variety of animals in the landscape. Heterocampa umbrata caterpillars presenting with varied coloration and patterning at different developmental stagesĬaterpillars are an important part of the ecosystem, providing a food source for many songbirds, insects, and more.
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