Yellow caterpillar with black hairs sticking out in 3 places

Today I found an approx 6.5 cm long hairy catepilar as it was walking along a sidewalk. As an extreme amateur, I don't know much about insects but I like to know what lives in my neighborhood. This critter has a light green body especially the underbelly, a slight orangish tinge to its dullish yellow hair. The hair along the majority of the body looks like a buzz-cut hairstyle but there are longer finer hairs protruding along the lower edges of the abdomen and at both ends of the body. Near the rear end there is a single long black hair tuft approx 1 cm long protruding from its back. There is a black stripe from the rear end to this tuft which is the longest hair on the body. There is a matched pair black tufts near the head approximately 1 cm behind the head, and another pair about 1 cm behind the first set. I've been searching on-line for images to try to identify this critter and found something similar, the Banded Tussock Moth - Hodges#8203 (Halysidota tessellaris). But my caterpillar has 3 sets of black hairs and the picture does not show the long central set at the back end. Am I looking at a close relative? I will try to upload a picture of this guy if I can figure out how to do it with my new camera and my iMac. Also, where is the best place to let this guy loose? What does it eat? Obviously not sidewalks!
Thanks!
CEG