Hairy caterpillar ID please UK (1 Viewer)

[KarenWoolley]

I saw this brown and orange hairy caterpillar today. It looks similar to a Garden Tiger. I haven't seen one for years but I remember them smaller and not orange on dorsal surface like this. It was also quite large about 7-8cm long. Any ideas?

 

[harry eales]

I saw this brown and orange hairy caterpillar today. It looks similar to a Garden Tiger. I haven't seen one for years but I remember them smaller and not orange on dorsal surface like this. It was also quite large about 7-8cm long. Any ideas?

Hello Karen,

Your larvae is that of a Fox Moth. It will hibernate as a larvae and reappear in the Spring, when, after sunbathing for a week or two it will pupate.

Be careful handling them, some people are allergic to the hairs as they can cause severe irritation.

Harry

 

[KarenWoolley]

Thanks Harry,

I'd never heard of the Fox Moth, I knew some of these hairy caterpillars could cause an allergic reaction, I thought I'd be OK (and I was) because I often used to pick up Garden Tiger caterpillars as a child, when they appeared to be more common than now!