Banded Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Description:

Halysidota tessellaris, the banded tussock moth, tessellated halisidota, or pale tiger moth, is a moth in the family Arctiidae. Like most species in this family, it has chemical defenses it acquires from its host plants, in this case, alkaloids (Weller et al., 1999, Hristov and Conner 2005), at least in the adult. The brazen behaviour of the larvae also suggests chemical protection in this stage, although they have not been analyzed for alkaloid content. http://bugguide.net/node/view/571040

Habitat:

This moth is found from southern Canada, and south to Texas and central Florida in North America (Wagner 2005).

Notes:

Catoctin National Park