A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Lophocampa maculata
Like a "wooly bear" caterpillar except for the long white hairs extending out at either end. When I looked down an saw the orange and black I thought I'd found the first wooly bear of the season. This is fairly late not to have them crossing our gravel road in hoards, however spring was late. Was probably on the tan oak leaf when it fell
coastal forest
I have heard reports of caterpillar rash and wonder if this might be the culprit. I picked him up but didn't touch the elongated hairs. I cannot verify if this species does have irritating hairs
Spotted on Sep 23, 2011
Submitted on Sep 25, 2011
5 Comments
As I noted in the description, we call the ones without white hairs wooly bears. Right now the wooly bears are out on the roads. Not as thick as some years when they turn the road black and orange, but enough that you see them when driving
Chebeague: common names are very much colloquial, meaning that they vary depending on reagion, and then of course there's the whole nickname story!
Thanks that's strange they have tottaly different names!
i've seen these with-out the white hairs too. and we call them scottsmen.
I've seen the same type of worm without the white hairs. I call them wooly bears!!!!