Isabella tiger moth

Woolly bear caterpillars are hurriedly crossing the roads this time of year. I have always been fond of the woolly bear caterpillar. As a child, the name woolly bear reminded me of the Muppet Fozzie bear. I imagined the woolly bear caterpillar has the same loveable optimism as Fozzie despite being a terrible comedian telling groan-worthy jokes. I know it may seem to be an odd comparison, but I thought of this as a child and to this day, it still pops into my head every time I see a woolly bear caterpillar. Okay, so Muppets and childhood aside, one the biggest rural wives' tales is how the colors of the woolly bear caterpillar (or wooly worm to some people) can predict if we will have a cold winter or a mild winter. Before we get to debunking this old myth, we need to back up a bit. There are several species of caterpillar that are commonly called “woolly worms”. The woolly worms that are at the center of the winter forecasting legend are black at each end with a reddish-brown band in the middle. And it is the width of this orange band that folks say can predict the oncoming winter. Legend says the coming winter will be cold if the woolly bear has a narrow, orange middle band, and the winter will be warm if the band is wide. So is this myth true? Fortunately, entomologists were also curious if this little fluffy caterpillar could be a seer of winter’s fate. And after several rigorous scientific studies, where they measured the width of the orange band on the caterpillar’s m...

Saltmarsh Caterpillar PEST PROFILES: MOTH AND BUTTERFLY CATERPILLARS Saltmarsh Caterpillar Saltmarsh Adult Isabella tiger moth Click on image to view larger. Saltmarsh Caterpillar Description: The saltmarsh caterpillar, grows to 2 inches, has short bristles and longer, whitish hairs covering its yellow to dark brown body. Adult moths (2 inch wingspan) are white, with the forewings having some small black spots and the abdomen yellow with black spots. The woolybear caterpillar, caterpillars grow to 2. 1/4 inches, and are red-brown with black at both ends of the spine-covered body. The adult stage, called the Isabella tiger moth, has a 2 inch wingspan, and is overall yellow-brown with the abdomen marked with black spots. Damage: Caterpillars feed on leaves and may cause a problem when occurring in high numbers on landscape plants or crops. Contact with their hairy bodies can cause irritation to the skin. Moths are common at lights. Life cycle: Both species overwinter as larvae. Caterpillars of the woolybear caterpillars in the fall are thought to indicate the severity of the oncoming winter by the proportion of red-brown to black on the body, although this is good folk lore, there is apparently no scientific evidence supporting this idea. Adults occur in the spring.

Description and Biology Skip to Description and Biology The banded woollybear, Pyrrharctia isabella, is famous for predicting the harshness of the coming winter weather (the wider the black bands, the harsher the winter). It is informally known as the woolly bear, woolly worm, weatherworm, black-ended Bear, and fuzzy wuzzy. The banded woollyworm is also the main feature of a Woollybear Festival each fall in Vermilion, Ohio and a Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, North Carolina. (And it may be the only insect with its own web site: http://www.woollyworm.com/) Mature caterpillars are a little over an inch long and are covered with stiff hairs. Middle segments of the abdomen are covered with rusty red hairs and with black hairs at either end. As the caterpillars grow, black hairs are replaced with orange hairs so that the rusty red band is widest in mature banded woollybears. In fall, these caterpillars seek overwintering shelter under bark, leaf litter or a log, and can survive temperatures as low as -90 F. They overwinter either as caterpillars or they spin flimsy cocoons inside of which they overwinter as pupae. In the spring, the overwintering caterpillars warm back up and begin to feed. They spin cocoons and pupate. Some days later the next generation of Isabella moths emerges to mate and lay eggs on weeds, trees and grasses. Male Isabella moths are buff with small black spots. Female Isabella moths have lovely pink hind wings. There are one or two generations per year...

Bristly "woolly bear" caterpillars have started their annual crawl-about in search of sheltered locations where they will spend the winter. They may be found on sidewalks and walking trails or on the walls of homes and buildings. Some may be slowly making their way to Vermillion, Ohio, to attend an annual festival held in their honor. Woolly bears (woolly worms in the south) are the caterpillar stage of medium sized moths known as tiger moths (family Erebidae; subfamily Arctiinae). The caterpillars are so-named because of their short, stiff bristles. Although the bristles serve to defend the caterpillars and may look intimidating, they are not stinging (urticating) hairs. However, some people suffer severe localized reactions if the sharp pointed hairs penetrate their skin. Woolly bears will roll themselves into a tight ball when disturbed to bring to bear their defensive bristles. It also makes them look like a hedgehog which is referenced by the common name of hedgehog caterpillar. There are eight or more species of woolly bears in the U.S. Four of the most common species found in Ohio are the banded woolly bear which develops into the Isabella tiger moth ( Pyrrharctia isabella); the yellow woolly bear which develops into the Virginia tiger moth ( Spilosoma virginica); the salt marsh caterpillar which develops into the salt marsh moth ( Estigmene acrea); and the giant leopard moth caterpillar ( Hypercompe scribonia). These moths have two generations per season in Ohio wi...

Distribution: Caution: A single range map dot for a Canadian province may represent records without specific location data. Similar Species: • (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: • Phalaena isabella Smith, 1797 • Pyrrharctia californica Packard, 1864 References • Caution: Some specimens shown may not be sequenced. DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness not proof of identification. • Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - • Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 47.18f; p. 269. • • • • • • Species page at

tiger moth, (family Arctiidae), any of about 11,000 species of moths (order Lepidoptera), the common name of which is Grammia, which have dark wings with red or orange spots and white stripes, sometimes displayed in striking geometric patterns. Most adults have thick furry bodies and wings that may be almost solid white, or dark with white, orange, or green markings. When at rest the wings are folded rooflike over the body. Many have furry or hairy larvae (caterpillars) called woolly bears. The fall webworm ( Hyphantria cunea) is a serious pest whose caterpillars construct webs over the leaves at the end of branches. Sometimes large areas are covered with silken sheets. They pupate above ground in Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz A typical arctiid, the Isia isabella), emerges in spring and attains a wingspan of 37 to 50 mm (1.5 to 2 inches). Black spots mark its abdomen and yellow wings. The larva, known as the banded woolly bear, is brown in the middle and black at both ends. According to superstition the length of the black ends predicts the severity of the coming winter: the shorter the black ends, the milder the weather.

Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • Brief species comparison There are several similar Tiger moth caterpillars: • Garden tiger moth caterpillar • Virginian tiger moth caterpillar • Isabella tiger moth caterpillar They’re fuzzy, dark, with some orange coloration. These caterpillars can easily camouflage in your garden, so pay attention not to accidentally touch them with your bare hands. Isabella tiger moth caterpillar Virginian tiger moth caterpillar Garden tiger moth caterpillar What is the life cycle of a Tiger moth? Like other species under the Lepidoptera order, the Tiger moths undergo 4 main phases: Egg The adult females directly lay their eggs on the surface of the host plant leaves. The Tiger moth larvae hatch towards the end of the summer season (usually in August or September), about one week after the eggs are laid. They will begin to feed on the leaves of the host plants as larvae, undergoing different instars shortly after. Larva The Woolly bear caterpillars spend most of their time consuming the leaves and stems of the host plants. They will eat to prepare for the adult stage, as adult moths usually have reduced mouthparts and don’t feed. Pupa/Cocoon Once the larva completely covers itself in its chrysalis, it may take around 1 to 3 weeks to completely pupate, develop, and finally emerge as an adult. Adulthood As soon as they are out of the pupa, the adult moth will take its time drying and hardening its wings before it finally flies off to look for a suitable...

woolly bear, or wooly bear, Isia isabella), known as the banded woolly bear, is brown in the middle and black at both ends. The width of the black bands is purported to predict the severity of the coming winter: the narrower the bands, the milder the weather will be. This article was most recently revised and updated by

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillar. Photos by Gerry Lemmo (unless otherwise noted). The United Nations has coined 2010 to be The International Year of Biodiversity, so it’s only fitting that insects play a starring role in the pages of our summer issue. Insects, after all, are the most abundant animals on earth. While some species can be overlooked, due to their small size or out-of-the-way lifestyles, butterflies and caterpillars cannot. These veritable pop stars of the insect world – dolled up in coiffed hair tufts and shimmering wing scales – simply demand attention. As any third-grader will tell you, Lepidoptera – the order of insects that includes butterflies and caterpillars – represent peak evolution in the cool-animal department. Sure, dogs and cats are great, but to even compete for the crown, Fido would have to shed his skin five or six times, then void his bowels, fashion himself a cocoon, digest his larval tissues and organs, and reemerge from the cocoon a few weeks later as a giant bird. While the image of literal mammalian metamorphosis is silly, a philosophical interpretation is not. The human concept of redemption – this idea that we can change for the better – can be read into the caterpillar-to-butterfly progression. It’s no coincidence, then, that humans are attracted to butterfly totems, to tattoos and bejeweled winged amulets that rest against caterpillar-silk blouses. It’s no coincidence, then, that Hollywood filmmakers make hay here in the light v...

Garden Moths You Should Know Courtesy of Cynthia Raper A rosy maple moth When it comes to an insect popularity contest between You can find thousands of moth species in North America, but we wanted to highlight a few of the most impressive ones. To attract them, plant their caterpillar Check out Io Moth ROLF NUSSBAUMER This large, widespread garden moth has a wingspan of more than 4 inches. Males have pale yellow forewings and females have a reddish brown. Both have a striking “eyespot” on each hind wing, which helps deter predators. Host plants include hackberry, willow, mesquite, redbud, currant and blackberry. Learn how to Scarlet-Bodied Wasp Moth SUPERSTOCK/ALAMY This gorgeous garden moth has a bright red body with black-lined, clear wings. You might have trouble believing it’s a moth because it Meet the Isabella Tiger Moth Glass and Nature/Shutterstock These medium-sized garden moths are a pretty pale yellow, and females have orange hind wings. Common across the continent, you’re most likely to encounter this garden tiger moth species in its caterpillar phase when it’s known as a woolly bear. These furry, reddish brown and black-banded caterpillars are often spotted on the move in the fall. They PERRY VAN MUNSTER/ALAMY The Isabella tiger moth caterpillar is also known as a wooly bear Isabella tiger moths emerge as adult moths in the spring. Attract them with host plants such as asters, birches, maples and elms, and by leaving fallen leaves in your garden. Meet the Ros...