Caterpillars of Eastern Forests

White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma)

Brightly colored with black, yellow, and red. Head, thoracic shield, and dorsal glands usually red. Dorsum of abdomen black with whitish tussocks on first through fourth abdominal segments. Rusty tussock moth (O. antiqua) more gray to brown and red-orange thoracic shield with darkened, middorsal triangle. Food: many hardwoods and conifers. Caterpillar: May to October in North, all months in Deep South; 2 or more generations in South; 2 in North.

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