Saturday, August 18, 2018

Coastal BC Insects: Yellow Woolly Bear Caterpillar

Yellow Woolly Bear Caterpillar

This year I've found a new type of critter in my floating garden. First I found two when I pulled out overgrown lettuce plants. The next I found on beet leaves used as mulch under my broccoli, so I'm not sure which plant was the attraction.

I'm pretty sure it is a caterpillar of the Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), a white moth with small black spots on its wings.

Yellow Woolly Bear caterpillar on a beet leaf.

The larval stage is known as known as the Yellow Woolly Bear or Yellow Bear caterpillar. Even though the name implies they are yellow, actual colouring can be from white, to beige, to yellow and even dark red and brown. No matter what the colour, the woolly bear name comes from long its covering of long hairs.


Virginian Tiger Moths and their Yellow Woolly Bear caterpillars are common throughout North America. Caterpillars are abundant and feed on low growing plants, shrubs and even tree leaves in yards, gardens and natural settings.


The caterpillars are voracious eaters. After about a month of eating their fill, they search for a place to pupate.  Then, in about another month, they emerge as an adult moth.


Adult moths are commonly found from late spring to fall. They are especially attracted to lights. I'll have to put a light out in the evenings to see if I can get a picture of one of the moths to update this post. -- Margy

16 comments:

  1. What an interesting little critter, it looks so small and soft. Thank you for sharing the photos and the info.
    Have a wonderful day,

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    1. This is the first time I've seen this type. The Woolly Bears I'm used to are dark. - Margy

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  2. Cute...fuzzy!

    I don't think I'd appreciate the damage to my garden tho.

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    1. I've only found a few so I think the amount they ate didn't make much of a difference. Now if there were lots of them it would be a whole different story. - Margy

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  3. It's been a long time since I've seen that type of caterpiller.

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  4. Nice images! I'm pretty sure I've seen those critters in Northern Virginia.

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    1. It says they are quite widespread. - Margy

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  5. Hello, it is a beautiful caterpillar. I hope it was not eating your veggies. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day! Have a great new week ahead!

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    1. I am sure they were eating some of my veggies, but since I was cutting them for mulch it didn't bother me much. I have a sharing attitude about my garden's produce. I just cut around munched holes and eat the rest. - Margy

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  6. I am very vary of woolly caterpillars because once I accidentally touched one and it caused my skin to itch terribly, and it was painful and swollen.

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    1. I don't know if I'd have the same reaction. I picked him up on the leaf and never touched his body. - Margy

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  7. Beautiful macro shots of the caterpillar!

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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    1. It's amazing what you can do with an iPhone these days. - Margy

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  8. Thank you for an informative read! I just found my first yellow woolly Bear, in my neighbors backyard in Chelsea Ma. Exciting!

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    1. Maybe they are on the rise. These were my first ever. - Margy

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We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy