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The tiger moth is one of over 3,000 species of moths, many of which produce a larval stage of their life cycle that are commonly called woolly bears. This amazing little caterpillar has a body that is generally covered with long bristly hairs. The tiger moth is found in the Lepidoptera order and the Arctiidae family. This nocturnal creature is a medium size stout bodied moth with colorings of green, orange or white on the wings. Found mostly during the early months of fall, the caterpillar stage of this insect is most commonly called a woolly bear. These hairy little creatures can often be seen crossing trails, sidewalks or even roads. Woolly bears are, in most cases, usually a little over one inch long. The most common one, the banded woolly bear, will have black hairs on each end with a band of brownish colored hairs in the middle of its body. This woolly bear produces a moth commonly known as the Isabella moth and recognized by its predominantly white wings with a scattering of black dots.
But this is not to say that the banded woolly bear is the only one that can be easily observed during the fall. With around nine or more species, many of the hairy caterpillars you find during the fall could be classified as woolly bears. For example, the dogbane tiger moth which is so named for its affinity with the poisonous herb known as dogbane, produces a woolly bear that is covered in light brown hairs. The hickory tiger moth, which is commonly found around nut trees, produces a woolly bear with white and black hairs, while the milkweed tiger moth produces a banded woolly bear with a hair yellow center defined by black and white hairs on each end. The hairy little woolly bear that is all black with small red bands and is usually found on plantain is the larva of the giant leopard moth. If you see an all white woolly bear scooting around on your maple tree, it is most likely the larva of a spotted tiger moth.
If you are unsure that what you are looking at is a true woolly bear there are several factors you can take into consideration to ensure identity. To begin, the woolly bear is the only hairy caterpillar that is found in the fall months of the year. It can usually be found scooting around on the ground as it searches for a winter home. When touched, the woolly bear will curl up into a somewhat slippery feeling, tiny ball and if you attempt to pick it up many of the long, stiff hairs will detach from its body. When moving, the woolly bear will make great progress for such a tiny creature in a short period of time. It is not uncommon to see numbers of these caterpillars moving across the ground quickly during the fall months of the year as they search each log or rock for the perfect hibernation area. Woolly bears spend their winters as larva, returning in the spring to feed before making their cocoon. These generally consist of the hairs shed from their body intertwined with silk. After about two weeks, in the early summer months, the adults emerge.
The adult moths will busily feed and mate during the first two weeks of summer. After the females are fertilized, they will deposit their eggs on a host plant that will support the larva when they hatch. In less than a week the first generation of woolly bears will appear to begin feeding. At first they appear to stay together but as they go through their six molts each larva will move away from the pack to feed singularly. This generation will pupate during the summer months producing a second generation that is easily observed during the early months of fall. It is believed that the bright coloration of most woolly bears occurs due to the plants they feed on and is used as a warning to make predators stay away.
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