Description
These hairy caterpillars, sometimes called saltmarsh caterpillars, are commonly seen crawling across roads and pathways. Woollybears are large caterpillars that can grow to over 2 inches long. They are covered with dense, stiff, reddish brown to black hairs that give them a woolly or furry appearance. The hairs break off easily when the caterpillar is picked up. One of the common woollybears, the banded woollybear (Isia isabella), has black hairs at each end and reddish brown hairs around its middle. In the fall, woollybears become very active and crawl about in search of a protected place to spend the winter, such as under loose bark or dry leaves. There they either form a cocoon and emerge as an adult moth in the spring, or simply curl up for the winter and continue feeding in the spring. The adult is a pretty moth with a wingspan up to 2½ inches. Depending on the species of woollybear, the wings may be white with black spots or have bold patterns of orange or yellow. The moths mate and lay eggs on low vegetation. The caterpillars eat the leaves of a wide variety of plants, including many weeds.
Control
If caterpillars are feeding on garden plants, handpick them or spray them with an insecticide containing carbaryl. Make sure your plant is listed on the product label. A few caterpillars crawling about the garden can be safely ignored.
