What is this guy?

[js85]

I'm not too concerned with them eating up our garden because it's the end of the season anyway, but I can't walk two inches without seeing at least three of them. They're EVERYWHERE.

 

[Chuck]

I'm not too concerned with them eating up our garden because it's the end of the season anyway, but I can't walk two inches without seeing at least three of them. They're EVERYWHERE.

That caterpillar in Texas is called a Wooly Bear. Get rid of them by using Bt.

 

[helagumamela]

Ughhh we have those in our garden! They will eat the leaves until there are none left! We call them "higad". Don't touch them with bare hands though because they itch like crazy. The only way to lessen the itch/sting is by dousing the part with vinegar.

 

[js85]

Hmm, I looked up Wooly Bear but it didn't look like the one we have.

I've been afraid to touch it because I know the ones that look the softest are usually pretty nasty, haha. I've seen the leaves get chomped up, but like I said since it's the end of the season they can have their fill.

 

[Chuck]

Hmm, I looked up Wooly Bear but it didn't look like the one we have.

I've been afraid to touch it because I know the ones that look the softest are usually pretty nasty, haha. I've seen the leaves get chomped up, but like I said since it's the end of the season they can have their fill.

They are basically the same. They will have a very mild stinging ability and they all will eat your entire garden. We have black ones mostly here and a couple of other colors as well but they are all controlled the same. Some of them make very pretty moths and butterflys

 

[Trellum]

Hmm, I looked up Wooly Bear but it didn't look like the one we have.

I've been afraid to touch it because I know the ones that look the softest are usually pretty nasty, haha. I've seen the leaves get chomped up, but like I said since it's the end of the season they can have their fill.

Be careful, I have seen whole trees infested with those nasty things! It can get quite nasty unless you actually do something to stop them! I have seen it happen, those things reproduce like bunnies!

 

[claudine]

It's one of the fluffiest caterpillars I've ever seen Did you manage to get rid of them, Js85? I really don't like caterpillars , because they're creepy and capable of destroying most plants, but I never kill them, because I love butterflies

 

[Krrizal]

I had those in my garden as well! Get rid of these ASAP because they do eat and destroy the plants if you don't.

 

[Alyce Wakefield]

It looks like a fall webworm larvae. Sweet looking and innocent, they are notorious for coating entire tree canopies with creepy and thick webs. They are plant killers here in Michigan! I hope you eradicated them before it was too late!

 

[Marck]

The larva (caterpillar) in the OP looks similar to that of the Fall Webworm Moth (Hyphantria cunea), also known as the Mulberry Moth, this species in the Tiger Moth Family (Arctiidae, or Erebidae, Arctiinae) is known to use several hundred different larval food plants.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

You may not be concerned about them now, but they will pupate and produce adults that will lay lots of eggs early next season when you really don't want them. Don't leave it until it is too late.

 

[Marck]

It is true that mass larval eclosures of caterpillars can defoliate entire trees. This may appear alarming and unsightly, but the trees usually recover. The very fact that these insects appear in such numbers shows that they play an important ecological role.
This also means that to kill them requires putting a large amount of toxic chemicals into the environment.
The caterpillars are far less of threat than pesticides.
Yes, some pesticides are worse than others, but even 'organic' pesticides, such as B.t., should be used sparingly. The goal should never be to just rid one's environment of nearly all insect life.

Also if people can get over their entomophobia, they might discover that insects are fascinating creatures to observe and learn about.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

This also means that to kill them requires putting a large amount of toxic chemicals into the environment.

So catch the first generation before they proliferate. Just picking them off and stomping on them will get a lot without pesticides. My dear daughter makes her partner pick them off and take them down the park

You are right about them being part of the ecosystem. As an example Great Tits time their egg laying so they hatch at the same time as oak tree caterpillars, which is pretty amazing as that varies from year to year. Ants are a good start to learning about insects, most people don't find them too yucky and as social insects there are some good books about them, they are pretty varied, and share their nests with some surprising things.

On the other hand my garden isn't really part of the natural ecosystem, I hoe, dig, plant, weed, fertilise etc. All quite artificial.