Banded Woolly Bear (Woolly Bear Caterpillar)

Found across North America in gardens, parks, fields, and forested edges.

Herbivorous, feeding on a wide variety of low-growing plants including dandelion, plantain, clover, grasses, and weeds.

Known for curling into a tight ball when threatened. They are famous for their autumn migrations across roads as they seek leaf litter or bark for overwintering; they produce a cryoprotectant to survive freezing temperatures.

They are generally harmless to humans, though their stiff hairs can cause mild skin irritation for sensitive individuals. They serve as a food source for birds and some small mammals, and the adult Isabella Tiger Moth is a minor pollinator.