Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar Items Button

Milkweed Tussock Moths appear drab at first look – the wings are a drab gray/brown. The body, however, is a pretty orange with black markings. The caterpillars are brightly colored and hairy, and they love to eat milkweed. Dogbane is a secondary food source (caterpillar shown in this picture is eating dogbane). Both these plants provide a “poison” that the caterpillar assimilates into it’s body to protect it from predators; the poison is still present in the adult moth.