northeast-flora-and-fauna

Some caterpillars are usually seen in large numbers (like Armyworm Moth caterpillars and Eastern Tent Caterpillars ), while most are more solitary. The Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars (more about them are here ) seem to be slightly social. I'll sometimes see them alone, but more often I'll see them in groups of 2-9 members. In the 1st picture below, you can see there is a clear size difference in some of these individuals. I'm almost certain the little one in the middle is in an earlier instar than the others (though they lack the colorful tufts of fuzz in their earliest instars). August 31, 2021 at Washington Valley Park Photo 167477945, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) In the picture below, it's clear that these caterpillars don't require a lot of personal space. August 31, 2021 at Washington Valley Park Photo 167477979, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Here's someone I don't know that I could ID all on my own; it's fairly nondescript. It's a True Armyworm Moth . I got this picture when Duke Farms had their semi-annual mothing event last August. (Duke Farms pays a guy who lights up large sheets that attract the moths.) Similar to Goldenrod Soldier Beetles , True Armyworm Moths have no actual military training. They do have a bad reputation in the agricultural community since as caterpillars they voraciously devour crops (grains and other grasses) and then "march" in lines to the next plant; the marching is responsible for the "army" part of their name. Their other name is the White-speck Moth, getting this name from those little white specks in the middle of their wings. These moths are migratory. They head south to avoid our winters, and head north to avoid the worst heat of the summers. Apparently if you're a True Armyworm Moth, your worst nightmare is being approached by birds like the Boboli...