Banded Woolly Bear (Woolly Bear Caterpillar)
Scientific Name: Pyrrharctia isabella
Order & Family: Order: Lepidoptera; Family: Erebidae
Size: Up to 2 inches (5 cm) in length
Natural Habitat
Found across North America in gardens, parks, fields, and forested edges.
Diet & Feeding
Herbivorous, feeding on a wide variety of low-growing plants including dandelion, plantain, clover, grasses, and weeds.
Behavior Patterns
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.
Risks & Benefits
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.
Identified on: 5/19/2026