"Woolly Bears" - Berks County, PA
Yellow Bear Moth or Virginian Tiger Moth
Spilosoma virginica

These larvae of various colors were found on lamb's quarters (Chenopodium album), September 14 and 19, 2005 at my lot, Fleetwood, Pa. Larvae will eat many different herbaceous and woody plants both native and introduced. Lamb's quarters is an introduced weed of disturbed places, such as gardens. Related species of Chenopodium are native. These caterpillars pupated in the fall of 2005 and eclosed May 23 to June 4, 2006. The Yellow Bear  is a common species and is native to PA.

This is not the true woolly bear.

 

These are all the same species and the upper two are probably siblings. Color quite variable. There are scattered longer hairs which indicate this species. You can see this better by opening the individual photographs. The hairs are soft, not bristly, as in the true woolly bear.
Larva
Adult Moth (Female. Eclosed May 23, 2006)
Wingspan 43 mm
Cocoon (Moth eclosed May 23, 2006)
Adult Moth
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Prepared by Karl R. Gardner  -  November 24, 2005L Revised Oct. 22, 2012.
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