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Orgyia leucostigma
Brightly colored caterpillar sparsely covered in long hairs. Head red-orange. Black stripe on back bordered by two yellow stripes. Four tufts of white hair towards front. Red-orange dots on back of sixth and seventh body segments.
Found on a shed door in backyard. According to Bug Guide, these caterpillars are "very common and widespread in wooded areas of the Eastern US," where they "feed on a wide range of hardwood trees and conifers."
According to Bug Guide, the hair of these caterpillars can cause allergic reactions in people who come in contact with them. I didn't know that at the time, so I'm glad I was cautious.
2 Comments
You're right, always be cautious.
Nice spotting; interesting how different all the caterpillars look.