Crinkled Flannel Moth
Lagoa crispata
September 10, 2002

I came across this Megalopygid caterpillar 
while doing a "bioblitz" in East Lyme.  The 
later instar grows darker and resembles one 
of those tribbles that will plague Captain Kirk 
and crew way in our future. 

These larvae have hidden beneath this
seemingly innocuous covering some
nasty stinging spikes - so don't touch 'em!

As for the adult moths?  It's probably best said 
that their most interesting expression of life 
lay in the caterpillar form.