Identification
The caterpillar is pale green, flattened. Lobes bearing stinging spines radiate out from the edge of the body and additional stinging hairs run down its back. The middle of the back is often marked with yellow or red, especially towards the rear. The front edge of the body is edged with orange or red.
(1)
Adult moth is brown
Range
Minnesota, S. Ontario and Massachusetts to Florida and Mississippi
(1).
Also photographed in
Texas;
Bordelon and Knudson have specimens from the Big Thicket, and describe the species as "very common".
Food
Larvae are often found on oak, but also eat leaves of many other trees including cherry, maple, basswood, elm and beech.
Remarks
Caution! This is a stinging caterpillar. See
this site for more information.
Early instar caterpillars leave zigzagging tracks in the underside of leaves.
