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Yellow woolly bear

Spilosoma virginica

Photo by Allen Hoof
Published on Project Noah
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45.9191, -123.974

Field Notes

Description:

Virginia Tiger Moth caterpillar moving through grass.

Habitat:

Pacific Northwest coast; bluff above beach.

Notes:

Spotted at Ecola State Park.

Reference Links:

Spilosoma virginica, yellow wooly bear (DCP21A) - Spilosoma virginica - BugGuide.Net

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)
mauna Kunzah
Great, Allen! My initial thought was also that this was a yellow woolly bear. I'm glad to be of assistance with identification.
Allen Hoof
Thank mauna. Given that your research narrowed the choices to two, I looked at a lot of images and found features in my spotting that looked more like the Woolly Bear than the Lined Ruby Tiger Moth caterpillar. I therefore decided, at least until info is provided that disproves my choice, to go with the Yellow Woolly Bear ID.
mauna Kunzah
Hmm, Allen, I think I've narrowed the possibilities to two ID's: Lined Ruby Tiger Moth, http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Phragmatobia+lineata&guide=1 -or- Yellow Wooly Bear, http://bugguide.net/node/view/86518 You decide. :)
Photographed
PublishedDecember 19, 2011

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