Kellie
Your caterpillar is the larva of the Banded tussock moth.
The larva are seen in the south usually from July to October...when did you see this one??
This caterpillar is one in the Tiger moth family - Arctiidae, not the true tussock moth family - Lymantriidae.
This caterpillar has two generations in the south so this is the last generation of the year. They eat alder, ash, birch, chestnut, blueberry, grape, elm, hazel, hickory, oak, poplar, tulip tree, walnut, willow as well as a few other trees and shrubs. This insect overwinters as pupa in a cocoon that is covered with the hairs.
Here are images of the moths so you can see what the adult looks like. You may see them at lights at night in the summer.
If you have photos of the other caterpillars we could try to ID them also...if they look much different other than color - gray, dirty tan to yellow-brown are the other variations of this one then you may have other species.
