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Lophocampa caryae
Caterpillars that are completely covered in black and white setae. They have black tufts along the middle of their dorsal surface, and four long black hairs (two at the front and two at the back). These hairs can cause contact dermatitis, and are also barbed.
Crawling on fallen trees in a deciduous forest.
The longer bristles on the Hickory Tussock Caterpillar are barbed urticating hairs that contain irritating secretions. Urticating = HURTicating.
Spotted on Sep 21, 2017
Submitted on Sep 24, 2017
5 Comments
This caterpillar, is so beautiful and so cute....
Your welcome, Christine....
Thanks maplemoth. It was stuck in spider silk in the first pic, but I carefully extricated it so it could live to see another day. Not sure the spider would have enjoyed such a prickly meal...
Super cute....
A beautiful caterpillar....A masterpiece, of beauty and color....