This handsome, mature caterpillar appeared whilst I was cleaning a few things outside. It's native to eastern North America, and will become a tiger moth, known as the Hickory Tussock Moth,
Lophocampa caryae.
It's got some pretty serious hairs along its body as part of its defense strategy. The hairs are dislodged easily and are barbed so they attach to a predator, causing irritation to the skin. When the caterpillar spins its cocoon, it incorporates some of these hairs into the casing, too, so picking up leaves that have cocoons on them can also lead to a skin reaction.
I love that it looks as if there are a series of faces all along its body, with the end one looking like a fire-breathing dragon with its long protruding hairs out front.
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