It is so easy to be drawn close to the Summersweet by its amazing scent. The pink flowers are beautiful now. I stopped to inhale some of the heady perfume and then I saw an unbelievably gorgeous, hairy black orange and yellow caterpillar. I knew right away I had never seen this kind before, but even from a distance I could see 4 yellow tufts that told me it was a tussock moth caterpillar.
Although it is tempting to pick up a specimen this interesting, that would be a rash decision and you get the rash. I happen to have a field guide for caterpillars so I can tell you that this is Orgyia antiqua, the Rusty Tussock Moth caterpillar. It is without a doubt one of the fanciest, most beautiful caterpillars I have ever seen. This is a great picture, showing all of those different orange black and yellow hairs. Be sure to click on the picture to see it as large as possible! Still it cannot compare to actually seeing this creature.in real life. It is not native and may turn out to be a pest, but it is a good looking caterpillar and I saw just one.
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