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White-marked tussock moth

Orgyia leucostigma

Description:

The larvae are brightly coloured, with tufts of hair-like setae. The head is bright red, the body has yellow or white stripes, with a black stripe along the middle of the back. There are bright red defensive glands on the hind end of the back. Four white toothbrush-like tufts stand out from the back, and there is a grey-brown hair pencil at the hind end. Touching the hairs will set off an allergic reaction in many humans.

Habitat:

The caterpillars may be found feeding on an extremely wide variety of trees, both deciduous and coniferous, including apple birch, black locust, cherry, elm, fir, hackberry, hemlock, hickory, larch, oak, rose, spruce, chestnut, and willow.

Notes:

I spotted this on a trail along the Niagara river near Queenston.

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1 Comment

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 12 years ago

Second picture is interesting...!!

Dan Doucette
Spotted by
Dan Doucette

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Ontario, Canada

Spotted on Aug 5, 2011
Submitted on Aug 5, 2011

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Reference

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