The Isabella Tiger Moth is the parent of the famous woolly bear caterpillar — a banded black-and-rust-brown fuzzy larva whose winter color bands are folk-said to predict the severity of the coming winter. The adult moth is pale orange-tan with scattered small dark spots. Woolly bears overwinter frozen solid and thaw out in spring to continue feeding before pupating.
Best time to see a Isabella Tiger Moth
The best time to see a Isabella Tiger Moth is July–October, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 73,526 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Isabella Tiger Moth? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
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