I was sitting outside this morning, taking a break from doing some yard work, when I noticed this caterpillar on the tire of my car. I moved it to a plant, figuring it would be shown to better effect there than on the black tire, and then I got my camera and took a few photos. It is a white-marked tussock moth (Orgyia leucostigma), a species native to our region. Interestingly, the adult females are wingless and therefore flightless. If you find one of these, you’ll want to avoid handling it with your bare hands. Its hair is known to cause allergic reactions, especially in areas of the body with sensitive skin. I let it crawl onto a leaf to move it, so as to avoid any issues.
White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)
Posted under Creatures and tagged with Caterpillar, Insect, Insecta, Lepidoptera, Moth, Orgyia, Orgyia leucostigma, Tussock Moth, White-marked Tussock Moth
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Saturday, June 20, 2020, White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)
#caterpillar #insect #insecta #lepidoptera #moth #orgyia #orgyialeucostigma #tussockmoth #whitemarkedtussockmoth
See link to my blog in my bio, where there is more detail about each photo.
#caterpillar #insect #insecta #lepidoptera #moth #orgyia #orgyialeucostigma #tussockmoth #whitemarkedtussockmoth
See link to my blog in my bio, where there is more detail about each photo.