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Black White and Spikey (White-marked tussock moth caterpillar)

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found tussock on isle of wight
by: hannah

found on my rose bush
alburg, vermont
by: mary

these things have infested my yard this year, I've seen a few other years but this year they are everywhere, its creepy...and they do sting, my youngest (who loves bugs) got stung all over her hands and she said it really hurt for a few days....they are definitely bad this year...
WHITE-MARKED TUSSOCK MOTH CATERPILLAR
by: Moni

Anonymous
If there is too much feeding, you can try to just knock off the caterpillars and see if they can find their way back to the tree.
A second thing to do, since they can sting, it would be best if you could also pick them off with tongs or gloved hands and drop them in warm soapy water.
The third thing to try is to apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis). Bt is known to kill caterpillars of moths and butterflies. This is a bacteria that the caterpillar ingests as it feeds on the foliage. Then the bacteria grows inside the caterpillar killing it. It does not kill right away...takes a few days, but once the bacteria is inside the caterpillar they do not eat as much as before. If label directions allow use of BT where you live and on Japanese maples, then apply per directions and be careful not to spray where butterfly caterpillars exists or you will kill them too.
Need help
by: Anonymous

This caterpillar is destroying our Japanese maple(lacy variety) What can we do to get rid of it ? The maple is hanging over a small pond.
White-marked tussock moth caterpillar
by: Moni

NancyLee VT
Assume if you saw a male it was the moth?, as you can not tell the sex of caterpillars.
The antenna of the male tussock is really cool looking!
Found Male Tussock
by: NancyLee VT

I.ve been looking for the name of this caterpillar. I found a male tan and black very handsomely beautiful. Markings are more distinct. Those 4 hair tuffs of hair on back are like some one gave that lilltle guy a haircut. Nancylee Vermont
White-marked tussock moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Tracy
Your caterpillar is a white-marked tussock moth, so it turns into a moth. Tussock moths are in the Lymantriidae family.
Some folks are allergic to the hairs so be careful around this caterpillar.
The female moths of this insect are wingless and therefore flightless. The males are brownish with distinct markings. Females lay eggs that overwinter. The caterpillars come out in the spring feeding on a wide range of trees including birch, black locust, cherry , elm, hackberry, hickory, oak, willow and many others.
This is a common caterpillar to see over eastern US to TX and Canada.
Great photo!
Here are some images of the moth
http://bugguide.net/node/view/521/bgimage

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