Yellow-based Tussock Moth
Dasychira basiflava
41.7787, -71.9251
Field Notes
Description:
Yellow-orange with three thick tufts of black fur (two near the head, one at the very end of the body). The caterpillar is fuzzy, with long white (or light yellow) hairs extending from its sides. There are two black "horns" on either side of the head, which are formed from long hairs.
The head and front feet are black, and the back feet are light yellow or orange. The underside is dark. It is a little over 1/2 inch long, not including the long hairs.
An active little fellow. It is night now, but I have my light on.
Update as of June 23nd 2014 (27 days after original post):
My friend has molted several times and has grown much larger (now about 1.5"). The photos attached are of what (s)he looked like after a recent molt. There has been another molt since, and the appearance of the caterpillar has changed slightly. The "fur" has become a muted yellow and has more white dusted throughout. I'll try to upload another photo. I think that (s)he is close to building a cocoon.
UPDATE: July 29th
Captured: May 27, 2014
Pupated: July 9, 2014
Emerged from cocoon: July 25, 2014
Believed to be female.
Habitat:
I found this little guy eating a leaf on a maple tree branch.
Notes:
The photos included in this post were not taken at the same time. Those with paper in the background were taken almost a month later, after the caterpillar had molted several times.
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