I’ve been noticing caterpillars on the move recently. This time of year, they are looking for their last bites of food before they form a chrysalis (if a butterfly caterpillar) or cocoon (if a moth caterpillar). Some will overwinter in this pupal stage while others will emerge as adults this season and lay eggs to start the next generation before they die. Others will migrate, as the last generation of Monarch butterflies during a season does, and others like the Mourning Cloak butterfly will overwinter as adults.

Look at my photo of the black, white, and orange caterpillar... looks a bit like a bottle brush but it is the caterpillar, or larval stage, of the Milkweed Tussock Moth (AKA: Milkweed Tiger Moth). Like the caterpillars of Monarch butterflies, they eat milkweed plants. And though they may compete with Monarch caterpillars for milkweed, both are native species that have their place in the circle of life.

This black, white, and yellow caterpillar looks like it is sporting some large sunglasses or goggles. Do you think it is an Owl-eyed Bird Dropping Moth Caterpillar? What else might it be?

Resources for Identifying Caterpillars:

• 116 caterpillars found in Maine as listed by CaterpillarIdentification.org  (Note: If you can ignore the advertisements this is a good site to cross reference with Bug Guide and Butterflies and Moths, listed below.)
• https://bugguide.net/
• https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
• Learn to identify the invasive Browntail Moth and Winter Moth, as well as other invasive insects in Maine, and how you can report them at this Maine Forest Service page.