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yellow spotted tiger moth

Lophocampa maculata

Photo by KarenSaxton
Published on Project Noah
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43.1771, -124.188

Field Notes

Description:

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

Habitat:

coastal forest

Notes:

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

Reference Links:

Butterflies and Moths of North America | collecting and sharing data about Lepi…

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (5)
KarenSaxton
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
dungeonmasterShu
Chebeague: common names are very much colloquial, meaning that they vary depending on reagion, and then of course there's the whole nickname story!
dungeonmasterShu
i've seen these with-out the white hairs too. and we call them scottsmen.
chebeagueschool
I've seen the same type of worm without the white hairs. I call them wooly bears!!!!

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Moths and Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest
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PublishedSeptember 25, 2011

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