Fuzzy but dangerous: The tussock moth caterpillar

Ady Hammock editor@riverbendnews.org Anyone who has been around oak trees lately has probably noticed several hairy caterpillars. Chances are it was a tussock moth caterpillar. These insects eventually develop into tussock moths, which are native to North America and are especially dense in North Central Florida during the spring. With winter temperatures climbing, tussock moths have begun appearing earlier in the year, according to the Florida Museum. The tussock moth has a high tolerance for warmer temperatures, and this could cause them to become even more abundant. There are three species of the tussock moth in Florida: the white-marked tussock moth, the fir tussock moth and the def