Tussock Moths

[Wendystokes]

Tussock moths have found us. They are responsible for the large dead fir swath above Buckingham Park on south side of canyon. This morning I found one on our deck! Michelle knows more but it was a cute yellow caterpillar, maybe 1.25”, with spiny hair identifiable using my Seek app. If handled, you’ll get a rash. I said a prayer, and killed it.

[Wendystokes]

I spied the bright yellow tussock moth caterpillar this morning, on my deck tailing, not the tussock moth itself!     Here’s a photo.

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Photo hopefully

[Jese Engwall]

I spied the bright yellow tussock moth caterpillar this morning, on my deck tailing, not the tussock moth itself! Here’s a photo.

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Photo hopefully

Thanks for solving two mysteries to me, Wendy.  We were shocked to see the patch of dead trees up from Buckingham Park just a few weeks ago- it seemed to have happened very quickly.  We also have had many of these caterpillars on my deck the last few weeks, but slightly different in color.  I appreciate knowing they are bad news for our trees.  The caterpillars we keep seeing are more like the image below, with the clumps of hair(?) fairly yellow but blue/grey bodies

[MeganQ]

I saw this caterpillar at our house, too.

[Tim Stokes]

An arborist told us that if you have fir trees that are attacked and turn, don't be in a hurry to cut them down; although they look dead, some of them will survive.

[Jason and Sera]

I took this last September. I couldn't believe how fast it moved! Is it a Tussock? Sounds as though these moths feed on the pine needles from tip-to-toe??

[Wendystokes]

Here’s a CSU link to tussock moths on front range . Moths lay larvae on spruce and fir trees (not pine). In CA there is a western tussock moth that apparently attacks oaks, hickory, others. In CO it’s fir/spruce.

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-ar...ock-moths/

[Jason and Sera]

Here’s a CSU link to tussock moths on front range . Moths lay larvae on spruce and fir trees (not pine). In CA there is a western tussock moth that apparently attacks oaks, hickory, others. In CO it’s fir/spruce.

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-ar...ock-moths/

**Thanks Wendy - the females are wingless & the babies fly with the wind. Whoa! I will be reading on. Not sure about mine... Oh & the clusters of cocoons in Figure 8 - I will be on the lookout. -Sera**

[CheyenneWills]

I was wondering what happened to those trees down the canyon.  Hope that they spring back

[Laurel Wanrow]

I took this last September. I couldn't believe how fast it moved! Is it a Tussock? Sounds as though these moths feed on the pine needles from tip-to-toe??

I just found the same “Spotted Tussock Moth” caterpillar (orange and black, furry) eating leaves of mountain ninebark. I verified it on iNaturalist. It’s not the same species of tussock moth eating the fir trees, which is the “Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth”. Apparently, there are many different types of tussock moths and they are diverse in what the Caterpillars eat, and these furry orange and black guys eat only deciduous trees: Popular, Willow, Alder, Maple

[BurtL]

We have had the orange and black furry caterpillars in our yard for several years.  I saw one a few days ago; first of the season.  I'd never looked them up.  If I understand what you are saying this particular one might like our giant crack willow trees.  As far as I can see they have not stunted their growth.

[Nancy Farmer]

Spotted one of the skinny ones like your first photos at my house yesterday - lots of firs for them to attack here, sadly.

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[Oak]

I spoke with the Boulder County open space gal yesterday.  She said lots of people have asked her about the moth, and that they’re natural to our forest, they are always around, but this is a particularly good year for them. And though those trees in the canyon look terrifyingly dead, they’re not and they will come back. (!?!) And if next year isn’t a bad year, it will all be OK, at least until the apocalypse takes us all out.