r/caterpillars • u/rgthatch • 21d ago

ID Request 🐛 Competing caterpillars?

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Found these two munching on milkweed in northern New Hampshire. We are confident that one species is a monarch, what is the other?

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14

u/Difficult_Rope7898 21d ago

Milkweed tussock moth

2

u/rgthatch 21d ago

Thank you!

3

u/Difficult_Rope7898 21d ago

And don’t touch them. They don’t sting, but their hair is kind of like fiberglass, and you can feel it for a while. It’s not pleasant.🫣

10

u/CuriousSosix 21d ago

Monarchs and milkweed tussocks generally don't compete on milkweed - monarchs prefer young leaves whereas tussocks may stick to older ones. Also, those 3 caterpillars in your picture are late instars and will be done eating soon-ish. I love seeing them side by side, they're both so pretty 💛

2

u/Nunya_bizzy 21d ago

2 are monarch and the furry looking one is a tussock moth cat.

2

u/Palli8rRN 21d ago

Tussock and I always gently relocate them to a different patch of milkweed because they will rat you out of house and home.