We were taking a walk at the Plainsboro Preserve just to get some exercise so I was only using my iPhone 11Pro for images. We came upon this interesting looking caterpillar on the path. I had never seen one of these caterpillars before. It had a very sharp spikey hairs on the body and looked like a very interesting photo subject. The hickory tussock is the caterpillar of the Hickory Tussock moth (Lophocampa Caryae) which lives in the Eastern half of North America. Eggs are usually laid in May and June on a variety of trees including hickory, walnut, ash, elm, maple and oak. By late summer and early fall the white hairy caterpillars are fairly easy to spot against green foliage. It is covered with white setae or hairs, and a line of black ones runs down its back. It also has four small clusters of longer black setae; two at the front and two at the back, called pencils. If you come upon one DO NOT TOUCH THEM! Touching them would be very painful! All images were taken with my iPhone 11 Pro with the 4.3mm lens & 195mm Digital zoom for a focal length 35mm equivalent of 51mm.

If you come upon one of these do not touch them! Touching them would be very painful!