Strange caterpillars on milkweed

[dichatham]

All,
I have found several caterpillars--not monarchs on my milkweed. They are hairy, yellow/green with black dots on either side of their backs. They are eating the milkweed. Anyone know what they are?
Thanks,
Diane

[Mona Miller]

http://bugguide.net/node/view/323571/bgimage
Milkweed Tussock Moths in their early stage

http://bugguide.net/node/view/433/bgimage
They get larger and change colors and get more hairy.

They will defoliate your milkweed. You can relocate them if you have another patch or you can drown them in soapy water. Moths are real pests and do much damage. I use a gallon milk jug and cut a circle opposite the handle about the size of a grapefruit. Put in a few drops of dish detergent and fill with water a few inches below the circle. That way you can hold the jug under the leaf and knock them into the soapy water. That's all up to you. My milkweed I want to save for my Monarchs.

Many creatures use the milkweed. I call them "feeders" and "eaters". The milkweed feeders get eaten. Sometimes the eggs of the predators will be laid on the milkweed. Convenient. Hatch, eat, mature.

http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search& ... rch=Search
I put "milkweed" into their search.

[dichatham]

Mona,
Those are not the caterpillars. They don't have black heads and their spots are only in 2 rows on their backs. I found a pix on the internet that is pretty close to what it looks like. Don't know what it is--picture just called "caterpillar." Maybe you know.
Thanks,
Diane

[Mona Miller]

It is some type of moth. Are there loads of them? My deal is that the milkweed is for the Monarchs. All other creatures need to find something else to eat.

[dichatham]

Mona,
I have found 4-5 total. I'm going to keep the one I have and feed him a milkweed leaf to see what he turns into.
Thanks,
Diane

[Mona Miller]

http://bugguide.net/node/view/225009/bgimage
May be a fall web worm. Not a nice dude.

[dichatham]

Mona,
I think that's him. Scary as we don't have these as pests in my neighborhood. Maybe they are coming. I'll have to keep a watch for the webs.
Diane

[Mona Miller]

The tent caterpillars in the spring also roam and eat every thing. We have the fall web worms in VA already.

[dichatham]

Update - I called the MD Extension service and they too say these are Fall Webworms. They said MD is really having trouble with them even though I haven't seen any signs in my neighborhood--yet. Obviously they are somewhere.

Anyway, I found a few more--one was almost 2 inches long! I am cutting them in half with my scissors when I find them. Too gross to squish them
Diane

[Mona Miller]

You have to be careful some of those spiny caterpillars can cause allergies so it is a good idea to not touch them.

[dichatham]

That's why I'm using scissors. I have touched them by accident not knowing they were on the leaves I was cutting or picking up--gave me the creeps! Thanks for the heads up.
Diane

[Mona Miller]

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/enpl/bulletins ... pillar.htm
"Tent Caterpillars - Family Lasiocampidae
The tent caterpillars are best known as important defoliators of forest and shade trees. Two species, eastern tent caterpillar and forest tent caterpillar (genus Malacosoma), are common in Alabama. Larvae of some groups within the family are reported to cause irritation when handled, apparently from contact with urticating setae. However, the principal "stinging" agent associated with the two Alabama species, and other members of the genus, is a substance produced by pupating caterpillars. Pupation occurs in a white to yellowish silk cocoon. During cocoon construction, caterpillars smear the structure with a thick, white to yellowish fluid. Subsequently this dries and becomes a fine powder which, if cocoons (See Photo 15) are handled, sifts out on the skin. Contact with the skin may cause an allergic reaction that appears as reddening and itching of the contact area. This reaction seems to occur only among allergy sufferers or individuals with very sensitive skin."