Q: What is this fuzzy caterpillar? My Dad and I found it in some
flowers. A: It’s the caterpillar form of a leopard moth,
Ecpantheria scribonia. Despite its fierce name, the leopard moth
does not bite…it just has beautiful spots on it swings.
Likewise, the leopard moth caterpillar is not harmful. It does
little damage to landscape plants. You can see the red rings
around its body, which distinguish it from the common black and
brown banded wooly bear caterpillar, which turns into an
Isabella Tiger Moth, Pyrrharctia isabella. I’d release the
caterpillar back where you found it so it can hide in dead
leaves, hibernate over winter and emerge in spring as a
beautiful moth. Tags For This Article: leopard moth