Lophocampa caryae

Description

Lophocampa caryae, the hickory tussock moth or hickory halisidota, is a moth in the family Erebidae, widely distributed in the eastern half of North America. Like most species in its family, the caterpillars acquire chemical defenses from their host plants, so they are potentially toxic or unpalatable, but this species is also venomous. The behaviour and aposematic coloration of the larvae suggests chemical protection in this stage, although they have not been analyzed for alkaloid or cardenolide content, nor have the adults.