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Photo#1358418
Caterpillar on ephedra

Caterpillar on ephedra
Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA
April 19, 2017
Size: approx. 80 mm
This caterpillar is on Ephedra nevadensis Ephredaceae) ,a non-native (to this region) species commonly used in landscaping. It appears different from the Hemileuca chinatiensis identified here http://bugguide.net/node/view/380669, and Santa Fe is much farther from west Texas than Eddy County, NM, the location of the H. chinatiensis photo.

The HOSTS website lists only Hemileuca as eating Ephedra in the lower 48, but this caterpillar does not look like any Hemileuca I can find that are native to northern New Mexico. I suppose it could be a caterpillar that landed on the wrong plant....

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Do you have more images you can add from different perspectives?
Maybe Arctiid - or Acronicta?

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