Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar - Ojai - California

Finding the beauty around us

Western Tussock Moth Female

Western Tussock Moth Adult Female emerging, Ojai, California.

Original image 30.1 Mp - Cropped image 2160 x 2008

Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar on rose stem, Ojai, California.

Original image 32.5 Mp - Cropped image 4866 x 3382

Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar on ornamental plum, Ojai, California.

Original image 20.1 Mp - Cropped image 2320 x 1768

The Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar eats leaves and fruit, and it eats them from a lot of plants. And those beautiful long hairs can cause an allergic reaction too. Mine lasted a couple of days. Western Tussock Moths Caterpillars eat Ceanothus, Oaks (Quercus), Apples, Citrus, Peaches, Roses, Buckwheat, Willow, Adenostoma, Manzanita, Pyracantha, Coffee Berry, and on this rose stem 1st picture and ornamental plum 2nd caterpillar picture here. There are one to two broods per year depending on how long the growing season is. Usually they are out by February and gone by June. The Western Tussock Moth Caterpillar can be an economic pest for nurseries and orchards. The adult females are flightless, you can see the tiny wings of this emerging moth.

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Photographs by Martin Fletcher

Organic-Landscape located at:

2076 Los Encinos Rd

Ojai CA 93023