Meet
Acronicta
americana
– the
American Dagger Caterpillar.
A native to North America these
fuzzy
yellow caterpillars with black 'eyelash'
spikes
grow to about 2” (50 mm)
long.
The American dagger moth caterpillar doesn't sting
like a wasp. Those
black hairs
break off in the skin and
the toxins they contain sting. The reaction that follows can cause
hives, welts, or dermatitis.
Handling
this insect larva will mess you up with a really bad rash.
This is a good lesson for children to
look
it up
before you pick
it up.
While out for a hike with the dogs Jill spied this critter crawling across the snow-covered trail.
click on the image for a better look
A caterpillar making its way across the snow.
According to the interweb this is Noctua pronuba. Sometimes called winter
or snow cutworms. They are closely related to other cutworm species found in
agricultural fields, feeding at the base of plants and sometimes moving up onto
foliage. In large numbers, caterpillars move across fields and roads, similar
to armyworm. However, unlike other caterpillar species winter cutworm is very
cold tolerant, emerging even in the winter to feed. Thus if a large
cutworm-like caterpillar is found late in the fall or during the winter, it is
likely Noctua pronuba.
The adult of this
species is known as the yellow underwing. It is native to Europe, where it is
one of the most common Noctuid moths. In 1979, this species was found in Nova Scotia.
Adults are strong fliers, thus it spread rapidly across the northern U.S. Moths
are night-active, found commonly around lights in the later summer and fall.
As unpredictable and periodically disappointing the gardening season was this year I have to admit that the Department of Lettuce was wildly successful. Bibb, red and green leaf lettuces were abundant. Even the spinach came on strong at the end.
Nevertheless, wash it, check it and wash it a second time before serving. One of the consequences of not using pesticides is the occasional visitor to the salad bowl...
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