Moth or Butterfly – These Caterpillars Are Everywhere Now

I snapped this pic of a caterpillar my son found over the weekend. I have seen these little guys all my life but never stopped to ask if they turn into butterflies. I did a little research this morning to find out.

According to Wikipedia.com, and some awesome 95.3 The Bear Facebook friends, this fuzzy black and yellow fellow is an Eastern Tent Caterpillar. It is one of about 160,000 species of Moth and are called Tent Caterpillars because of the silk "Tent" nests they build in the branched of trees primarily in the plant family like cherry and apple.

Wikipedia also says the Eastern Tents are toxic to horses if ingested and can cause pregnant mares to abort. I have never heard that in my life.

Eastern Tents will not live very long in a shoe box with a twig and a blade or two of grass. Just a heads up.

Thanks to our FB Friends for helping.