This is a member of the species Acronicta americana, an American Dagger Moth, in its caterpillar stage. We have had very few butterflies in the yard this summer of 2009 in Ottawa, probably because of the wet weather, but we'll be able to count on at least one big moth pounding on the kitchen window this fall.
Updates:
[2011] This is the single most popular post in the history of Plenty of Nothing.
[May 25, 2012] It's that time of year again: people are googling the phrase "fuzzy yellow caterpillar". During the months of June, July, August and September "fuzzy yellow caterpillar" searches make up a significant percentage of the hits on this blog. This year I am going to try to define the territory of the American Dagger Moth caterpillar by daily reporting the location of the computers from which these hits originate. It's only a rough estimate, because not all computers reveal their location, people often search more than once, it excludes Quebec and Mexico because it misses anyone searching in French or Spanish, and because there is undoubtedly more than one species of fuzzy yellow caterpillar. So, to begin:
May 25. 4 hits. Durham NC, Washington DC.
May 26. 1 hit. Bellvue WA.
May 27. 1 hit.
May 28. 0 hits.
May 29. 1 hit. Washington DC.
May 30. 2 hits. Miami FL, Santa Cruz CA.
May 31. 0 hits.
June 1. 0 hits.
June 2. 1 hit. New Brunswick NJ.
June 3. 1 hit.
June 4. 3 hits. Broken Arrow OK, Napa CA.
June 5. 0 hits.
June 6. 0 hits.
June 7. 1 hit. New Hartford CT.
June 8. 4 hits. San Marcos TX, Truro NS.
June 9. 3 hits. Oklahoma City OK.
June 10. 2 hits. Edinburg TX.
June 11. 0 hits.
June 12. 0 hits.
June 13. 0 hits.
June 14. 2 hits. Edmond OK, Conway AR.
June 15. 1 hit.
June 16. 0 hits.
June 17. 1 hit.
June 18. 0 hits.
June 19. 5 hits. Singapore, Safety Harbor FL, Montello WI.
June 20. 3 hits. Wilmington DE, Waukesha WI, Port Saint Lucie FL.
June 21. 1 hit.
June 22. 1 hit.
June 23. 5 hits. Sterling Heights MI, Singapore, Tulsa OK.
June 24. 1 hit. Lenoir NC.
June 25. 2 hits.
June 26. 2 hits. Lancaster OH.
June 27. 2 hits. Rockville MD, Broken Arrow OK.
June 28. 2 hits. Canton MI, Surrey BC.
June 29. 7 hits. Denver CO, Westwood NJ, North Reading MA, Bellmore NY.
June 30. 5 hits. East Haddam CT, Jamesville NY, Tiverton RI, Collegeville PA, Dearborn Heights MI.
July 1. 5 hits. Salt Lake City UT, Cincinnati OH, Hopkins MN.
July 2. 6 hits. Royal Oak MI, Hillside IL, Greensboro NC.
July 3. 4 hits. Troy MI, Lancaster OH, Valley Stream NY.
July 4. 11 hits. Waterloo NY, Rochester NY, Batavia NY, Ashtabula OH, Hawleyville CT, Des Plaines IL, Royal Oaks MI.
July 5. 3 hits. New York NY.
July 6. 3 hits. Quincy MA, Mountainview CA, Windsor ON.
July 7. 7 hits. Appleton WI, Leasbirg MO, Rochester NY, Niagara Falls ON, Hacienda Heights CA.
July 8. 9 hits. Salem NH, Marilla NY, Pontiac MI, Toronto ON.
July 9. 9 hits. Burlington ON, Newton MA, Saugerties NY, Brooklyn NY, Winchester NH.
July 10. 16 hits. New York NY, Carle Place NY, Rochester NY, Bordentown NJ, Byrnedale PA, Bellmore NY, Brooklyn NY, Ronkonkoma NY, Bronx NY, Ottawa ON, Dallas TX, Leeds NY.
July 11. 9 hits. Toronto ON, Easthampton MA, Grand Rapids MI, Chicago IL, Minneapolis MN, Webster NY, Rockville Centre NY.
July 12. 19 hits. Warrem MI, Albany NY, Avon NY, Sheboygan WI, Albernant AL, Toronto ON, Bethel CT, Ottawa ON, Chatham ON, Beamsville ON, Fairport NY.
July 13. 20 hits. Toronto ON, Baltimore MD, Ottawa ON, Webster NY, Waterloo ON, Winkler MB, Etobicoke ON, Westbury NY, Brooklyn NY, Lima OH, Brighton MI.
July 14. 11 hits. Evanston WY, Atlanta GA, Holbrook NY, Mountain View CA, Kingston ON, Bombay, Warren MI, Berkeley CA.
July 15. 15 hits. Philadelphia PA, Pittsburgh PA, Chatham ON, Toronto ON, East Meadow NY, Jenkintown PA, Ottawa ON.
July 16. 25 hits. Frederic MI, Toronto ON, Mississauga ON, Ottawa ON, Mastic NY, Bridgewater NJ, Reno NV, Norvelt PA, Los Angeles CA, Los Altos CA, Detroit MI, Fairport NY, Philadelphia PA, Akron ON.
July 17. 20 hits. Cleveland OH, Washington DC, Swartz Creek MI, Massapequa NY, Saint Catharines ON, Los Angeles CA, Dearborn MI, Portsmouth NH, Guelph ON, Kingston NJ, Round Lake IL.
July 18. 9 hits. Shelton CT, Saint-Jerome QC, Burlington NJ, Beaver Dams NY, Toronto ON, Glendale AZ, Brampton ON, Roswell NM.
July 19. 15 hits. Avon NY, Dearborn MI, Grosse Pointe MI, Bronx NY, Thornhill ON, Brooklyn NY, Chambersburg PA, Newport NY, New York NY.
July 20. 24 hits. Fort Worth TX, Montreal QC, Lansing MI, Salt Lake City UT, Huntington VT, Los Angeles CA, Port Saint Lucie FL, Petersfield UK, Portola Valley CA, Temperance MI, Rochester MI, Abernant AL.
July 21. 21 hits. Greenfield Center NY, Columus OH, Eugene OR, Lansing MI, Madison NJ, Chicago IL, Plainfield NJ, Feasterville Trevose PA.
July 22. 30 hits. Mountain View CA, Manassas VA, Gulf Breeze FL, Abernant AL, Centereach NY, Union Dale PA, Rochester NY, Providence RI, Pickering ON, Montreal QC, Littleton CO, Grand Rapids MI, Rhinelander WI, Los Altos CA, Ottawa ON.
July 23. 22 hits. Rochester NY, Akron OH, Bronx NY, Salt Lake City UT, Dedham MA, Cortland NY, Issaquah WA, Waterloo ON, Greenville SC, Ambler PA, London ON, Norwalk CT.
July 24. 30 hits. Canton MA, Green Bay WI, Salt Lake City UT, Chicago IL, Barron WI, Regina SK, East Brunswick NJ, North Olmsted OH, Trabuco Canyon CA, San Jose CA, Kexington KY, Raleigh NC, Middletown NY, Cleveland OH.
July 25. 25 hits. Simcoe ON, Fairfax VA, Burnsville MN, Mountain View CA, Minneapolis MN, Buffalo NY, Deer Park NY, Winthrop MA, Darien IL, Toronto ON, Tunbridge VT, Fond Du Lac WI, Huntington NY.
July 26. 32 hits. Denver CO, Chicago IL, Bronx NY, Chippewa Lake OH, Abernant AL, Brampton ON, Oak Park IL, Toronto ON, Oak Park MI, Bagenalstown Ireland, Dublin Ireland, Cornelius NC, Nashville TN, Saint Paul MN, Oregon OH, Waterbury CT.
July 27. 18 hits. Winnipeg MB, Worth IL, Sudbury ON, Clinton Township MI, Greenlawn NY, Park Rapids MN, Syracuse NY, Evansville IL, Windsor ON, Philadelphia PA, Toronto ON.
July 28. 20 hits. Delton MI, Fort Worth TX, Lapeer MI, Martinsville VA, Saint Paul MN, Albany NY, York QC, Seal Beach CA, Saint Clair Shores MI, Wilson NC, Roselle IL.
July 29. 13 hits. Winchester NH, Glendale Heights IL, Minneapolis MN, Ottawa ON, Denver CO, Jeffersonville IN, Buffalo NY. (About 12 hours' data was lost.)
July 30. 42 hits. Evansville IN, Glen Burnie MD, Liverpool UK, Meriden CT, Howell MI, Levittown NY, Brooklyn NY, Thunder Bay ON, New York NY, Port Saint Lucie FL, Easton CT, Charlotte IA, La Crosse WI, Glenview IL, Englewood OH, Omaha NE, Waukegan IL, Peterborough ON, Middletown CT, Bethesda MD, Rochester NY, Littleton CO, Chicago IL, Bergenfield NJ.
July 31. 34 hits. Ann Arbor MI, Scarborough ON, Georgetown ON, Saint Paul MN, Newton Center MA, Bronx NY, Stoneham MA, Saint Louis MO, Fair Haven NJ, Manchester NH, Zanesville OH, Roselle IL, Troy MI, Greenbelt MD, Kanata ON, North Wales PA, Westland MI, Boynton Beach FL.
August 1. 29 hits. Westbury NY, Toronto ON, Akron OH, Winchester NH, Richmond VA, Dearborn MI, Minneapolis MN, Wilsonville OR, Chicago IL, Windsor ON, Janesville WI.
August 2. No data.
August 3. Sitemeter is not reporting locations right now. Unfortunate, because August is the top month for fuzzy yellow caterpillars.
August 4. 34 hits. Fairport NY, Toronto ON, Saint Paul MN, Cincinnati OH, Whitmore Lake MI, Sylvania OH, Shawville QC, San Francisco CA, Amityville NY, Rochester NY, Morrisville PA, Brooklyn NY, Donnelsville OH, Saint Helen MI.
August 5. 42 hits. Denver CO, San Francisco CA, Windsor ON, Saint Paul MN, Stacy MN, East Setauket NY, Cherry Hill NJ, Massapequa NY, Saint Louis MO, Dearborn MI, Lansing MI, Fredericton NB, Brooklyn NY, Wakefield RI, Burlington ON, Hamilton ON, Toronto ON, Prescott MI, Troy MI.
August 6. 47 hits. Palmer MA, Sandisfield MA, Epping NH, Sudbury ON, Minneapolis MN, Tecumseh MI, Moscow VT, Dundee IL, Perrysburg OH, Grosse Pointe MI, Wilkes Barre PA, Port Huron MI, Grand Rapids MI, Mississauga ON, Waukesha WI, Old Orchard Beach ME, Saint Bonifacius MN, Charlotte NC, Lake City MI, Dearborn MI, Ashburn VA, London ON, Carrington ND, Milford MI.
August 7. 26 hits. Wantagh NY, Georgetown ON, Winnipeg MB, Gilbertsville PA, Anderson CA, San Jose CA, Knox PA, Kalamazoo MI, Fryeburg ME, Helen MD, Cincinnati OH, Cuyahoga Falls OH, Sarnia ON, Waterford MI, Greenfield MA, Winter Park FL, Grand Rapids MI, Abernant AL, Bozeman MT, Rochester NY, Mastic NY.
August 8. 31 hits. New Hyde Park NY, Stamford CT, Cleveland OH, Newark OH, Westland MI, Ottawa ON, Centreville VA, Chesterland OH, Lakeville CT, Boston MA, South Jordan UT, Middletown NY, Southfield MI, Winchendon MA, Saint Louis MO, Saint Thomas ON, Monroe MI, Milwaukee WI.
August 9. 25 hits. Kalamzoo MI, Salt Lake City UT, Alexandria VA, Regina SK, MInneapolis MN, Webster NY, Dawson Creek BC, Hixson TN, Braintree MA, Winnipeg MB, Philadelphia PA, Big Rapids MI, Wayland MA, Freeland MI, Washington DC, Cameron WI, Toronto ON.
August 10. 28 hits. West Greenwich RI, Chatham ON, Youngstown OH, Staaten Island NY, Saint Louis MO, Roselle IL, Los Angeles CA, Springdale AR, West Islip NY, Manchester NH, Ellicott City MD, Dexter MI, Agoura Hills CA, Brooklyn NY, Saint Catharines ON.
August 11. 20 hits. Hamburg NY, Cottage Grove MN, Westminster MD, Agoura Hills CA, Saint Peter IL, Abernant AL, Whitmore Lake MI, Addison IL, Trabuco Canyon CA, Waterloo ON, Pocatello ID, Havertown PA, Howell NJ, Marietta GA.
August 12. 46 hits. Abernant AL, Brantford ON, Manahawkin NJ, Milwaukee WI, Saint Louis MO, Auburn MI, Birdsboro PA, Rochester NY, Brooklyn NY, Traverse City MI, Kincardine ON, Denver CO, Waverly NY, Toronto ON, Avon CT, Port Coquitlam BC, Lake Zurich IL, Stuttgart Germany, Roseville MI, Birmingham AL, Watertown MA, Port Washington NY, Medina OH, Washington DC, Richmond VA, Atlanta GA, Missoula MT, Crescent Valley NV, Bronx NY.
August 13. 39 hits. Glen Burnie MD, Toledo OH, Somerville MA, Royal Oak MI, Fairview PA, Kitchener ON, Littleton NH, Baltimore MD, Waterloo ON, Novi MI, Saint Louis MO, Wind Gap PA, Mineral Point MO, Thousand Oaks CA, Chicago IL, Merrimack NH, Central Islip NY, Grand Rapids MI, New York NY, Southington CT, Miami FL, Marysville OH.
August 14. 31 hits. Budd Lake NJ, Dearborn MI, Hempstead NY, Menasha WI, Detroit MI, New York NY, Fairfax VA, Columbus OH, Springfield VT, Provo UT, Milwaukee WI, Brossard QC, Kenly NC, Fremont NE, Comins MI, Orange CT, Toronto ON, Traverse City MI, Parsippany NJ, Dodge City KS, Chicago IL, Montreal QC.
August 15. 34 hits. Milwaukee WI, Wallingfor CT, Escanaba MI, Siffield CT, Granville VT, Winnipeg MB, Salt Lake City UT, Toronto ON, Englewood CO, Chateauguay QC, Litchfield MN, Maple Lake MN, London ON, Hamilton ON, Saint Cloud MN, Mchenry IL, Southgate MI, Minneapolis MN, Hamburg NY.
August 16. 18 hits. Denver CO, South San Francisco CA, Hamburg NY, Mount Pleasant UT, Pacific WA, Endicott NY, Burton MI, Sheboygan WI, Silver Spring MD, Oak Brook IL, Farmington MI, Battle Creek MI.
August 17. 31 hits. Greenwood Lake NY, Ephrata PA, Berwick PA, Grand Rapids MI, Thurder Bay ON, Edinboro PA, Detroit MI, Saint Louis MO, Montreal PQ, Westfield NY, Minneapolis MN, Henniker NH, Tippecanoe IN, Belford NJ, Eatontown NJ.
August 18. 27 hits. Johnson City TN, Saskatoon SK, Hampden ME, Keene NH, Austin MN, Malone WI, Markham ON, West Bend WI, Abernant AL, Burlington WI, Detroit MI, Winona MN, West Kennebunk ME, Ithaca NY, Auburn MI, Pittsburgh PA, Bloomfield Hills MI, Roxboro NC, Manchester NH, Virginia Beach VA.
August 19. 40 hits. Putney VT, Franklin TN, Detroit MI, Bangor ME, Little Rock AR, Airdrie AB, Lake Geneva WI, Norcross GA, Taunton MA, Byron Center MI, Sylvania OH, Orrville OH, Pittsfield NH, Bisbee AZ, Milwaukee WI, South Hadley MA, Hancock VT, Salt Lake City UT, Leasburg MO, Denver CO, Ottawa ON, Montreal QC, Newwark NJ, Downington PA.
August 20. 47 hits. Bedford NH, Dublin OH, Maryville TN, Chaska MN, Toronto ON, Short Hills NJ, Minneapolis MN, Sandy Hook CT, Saint John NB, Old Mission MI, Franklin NH, Whitewater WI, Butler PA, Saint Louis MO, Shepherdsville KY, Sioux Falls SD, Providence RI, Chatham ON, Brighton MI, Olympia Fields IL, Southburg CT, Los Angeles CA, Newtown PA, Lewiston ME, Hamilton ON, Milford MI, Oxford UK, Saint Paul MN, Lake Orion MI.
August 21. 32 hits. Rhinebeck NY, York PA, Windsor CT, Thurston OR, Davison MI, Saint Louis MO, Mississauga ON, Bloomington IL, Amherst NH, Litchfield MN, Napanee ON, Southfield MI, Monterey MA, Davin WV, Flossmoor IL, Puyallup WA, Marblehead MA, Toronto ON, Bradford RI.
August 22. 25 hits. Blackwood NJ, Houlton ME, Slinger WI, Nashville TN, Newark NJ, Rochester MI, Belding MI, Weare NH, Dowagiac MI, Mississauga ON, Essex Junction VT, Melrose MA, Grand Bend ON, Tolland CT.
August 23. 30 hits. La Vergne TN, Walnut CA, Edmonton AB, Middle River MD, Atlanta GA, Toronto ON, Walpole MA, Haymarket VA, Drummondville QC, Vancouver BC, Winchester NH, Mountain View CA, Manassas VA, Swindon UK, Kalamazoo MI, Owatonna MN.
August 24. 16 hits. League City TX, Oakville ON, Wheatland PA, Alliance OH, Toronto ON, Montpelier VT, Lansing MI, New York NY.
August 25. 19 hits. Barrie ON, Toronto ON, Nantucket MA, Abbeville SC, Spring City UT, Norwalk CT, Sturgis MI, Sanford MI, Franklin MA, Bel Air MD, Little Chute WI, Worcester MA, Cherry Hill NJ, Staten Island NY.
August 26. 28 hits. Sanbornville NH, Vine Grove KY, Calmar AB, Wilton NH, Scottville MI, Madison WI, Attleboro MA, San Jose CA, Canastota NY, Saint Louis MO, Sanford ME, Saint Catharines ON, London ON, Boonville MO, Leasburg MO, Getafe Spain.
August 27. 36 hits. Canfield OH, Markham ON, Hamilton MT, Oshkosh WI, Truro NS, Phoenixville PA, Burnaby BC, Washington DC, Norcross GA, East Syracuse NY, Merchantville NJ, Burlington VT, Somerville MA, Spring Valley IL, Toronto ON, Sacramento CA, Boston MA, Harrow UK, Decatur GA, Mableton GA, Verona WI, Leawood KS, Ottawa ON, Ventura CA.
August 28. 20 hits. Excelsior MN, Saint John NB, Saskatoon SK, Standish ME, New Richmond WI, Winnipeg MB, Sacramento CA, Kanata ON, Augusta ME, Gatineau QC, Ottawa ON, Philadelphia PA, Springvale ME.
August 29. 17 hits. Logan UT, Ecsanaba MI, Utica MI, Alpharetta GA, Rockville Centre NY, Ithaca NY, Gaithersburg MD, Brantford ON, Saginaw MI, West Nottingham NH, Macomb MI.
August 30. 14 hits. Alpharetta GA, Hollywood FL, Toledo OH, Springdale AR, Franklin MA, Roxboro NC, Lakeville PA, Atlanta GA, Cortlandt Manor NY, Burlington VT.
August 31. 11 hits. Portland ME, Houston TX, South Hadley MA.
September 1. 23 hits. Thousand Oaks CA, Lancaster NY, Duluth GA, Abernant AL, Eau Claire WI, Somerville NJ, Groton MA, West Chester PA, Windham ME, Milford MA, Augusta ME, Bristol VT.
September 2. 36 hits. Lansing MI, Murfreesboro TN, Beverly MA, Whittier CA, Saint Paul MN, Franklin TN, Sanford ME, Portland ME, Winston Salem NC, Blue Ridge GA, Bergen Norway, Woodstock CT, Hayward CA, Tewksbury MA, Council Bluffs IA, Little Rock AR, Byron Center MI, Denver CO, Buffalo NY, Traverse City MI, Roswell GA, Worcester MA, Duluth MN.
September 3. 35 hits. Dryden ON, Hamilton ON, Murfreesboro TN, McDonough GA, Lancaster WI, Janesville WI, Durham NH, Oneonta NY, Sudbury MA, West Palm Beach FL, Manchester NH, Cedar Bluff AL, Bedford UK, Stone Mountain GA, Howell NJ, Atlanta GA, Dover NJ, Windsor ON, Delhi NY, Leasburg MO, Salem OR, Eastern Passage NS.
September 4. 20 hits. Mount Juliet TN, Centervile MA, Dover NH, Hooksett NH, Cemberland Center ME, Ithaca NY, Manchester ME, Burnaby BC, Lisbon ME, New Kensington PA, Atlanta GA, Mount Pleasant MI.
September 5. 17 hits. Halifax NS, Cedar Knolls NJ, East Greenwich RI, Oneonta NY, Winnipeg MB, Westfield IN, Taberg NY, Redmond WA, Burnaby BC, Hamilton ON, Traverse City MI.
September 6. 17 hits. Center Ossipee NH, Birmingham AL, Surrey BC, Berwyn PA, Weehawken NJ, Vineyard Haven MA, Saco ME, Plano TX, Niagara Falls NY, Worcester MA, Clintonville WI, Hampden ME, Keene NH, Hamilton ON.
September 7. 24 hits. Keene NH, Amherst NH, Buffalo NY, Caledonia MI, Rochester NY, Edmonds WA, Bloomington IL, High Point NC, Seattle WA, New York NY, Vancouver WA, Melbourne Australia, Atlanta GA, Springdale AR, Jonesboro GA, Onaway MI, Boulder CO.
September 8. 22 hits. Henderson NV, Fall River MA, Portland ME, Louisville KY, Manchester NH, Milton VT, Brooklyn NY, Winchester NH, Bolton UK, Chocorua NH, Acton MA, Vienna VA, Toronto ON, Amherst NS, Grand Rapids MI, Dodge City KS, Fremont MI.
September 9. 19 hits. Dearborn MI, Lewiston ME, San Jose CA, Saint Louis MO, Beckley WV, Medford NJ, Durham NH, Stratford ON, Abernant AL, Oxford UK.
September 10. 18 hits. Leatherhead UK, Saint Louis MO, Stow OH, North Oxford MA, Toronto ON, Winnipeg MB, Atlanta GA, Omaha NE, East Providence RI, Charlotte NC, Los Angeles CA.
September 11. 15 hits. Atlanta GA, Manchester NH, Leesburg FL, Saint Paul MN, Concord NH, Unadilla NY, Tucker GA, Olanta PA, Sussex NB, Minneapolis MN, Lynchburg VA.
September 12. 14 hits. South Burlington VT, Harpswell ME, Edmunston NB, Forth Worth TX, Scarborough ME, Leasburg MO, Woodstock GA, Greensburg PA, Brandon MB, Cullowhee NC.
September 13. 23 hits. Lexington KY, Greenfield IN, Bellingham WA, Bluefield VA, Saint Charles MO, Saint John NB, Bethesda MD, Knoxville TN, Houston TX, Salem MA, Ottawa ON, West Lafayette IN, Windham NH, Vancouver WA.
September 14. 16 hits. Wells ME, Toronto ON, Little Rock AR, Conway AR, Charlotte NC, Lowell MA, Okeechobee FL, Mount View CA, Roswell GA.
September 15. 15 hits. Binghamton NY, Pearland TX, Hartland WI, Dedham MA, Orono ME, Halifax NS, Bellevue WA, Nashville TN, Southbridge MA, Rutherford College NC, Swannanoa NC.
September 16. 12 hits. Prospect PA, Saint John NB, East Wenatchee WA, London ON, Whitefield ME, Manistee MI, Kennewick WA, Chicago IL.
September 17. 19 hits. Quebec QC, Traverse City MI, Atlanta GA, Truro NS, Kennebunk ME, Oakes ND, Perth Australia, Sterling VA, Ottawa ON, Merrimack NH.
September 18. 17 hits. Memphis TN, Westbury NY, Colorado Springs CO, Little Rock AR, Eureka MT, Raleigh NC, Manchester NH, Sherman ME, Derry NH, Leasburg MO.
September 19. 13 hits. Bowling Green KY, Halifax NS, Otsego MI, Colorado Springs CO, Stockholm Sweden, Huntersville NC, Abbotsford BC, London UK, Westbury NY.
September 20. 12 hits. Meridian MS, Ottawa ON, Hurricane WV, Dublin Ireland, Meriden CT, Tucson AZ, Bristol VT.
September 21. 7 hits. Seattle WA, Gainesville GA, Rome GA.
September 22. 15 hits. Gardner MA, Salt Lake City UT, Hickory NC, Devils Lake ND, Bethel CT, Bennington NH, Lynn UK, Wallace WV.
September 23. 19 hits. Plainville KS, York ME, Brookfield CT, Aurora CO, Reedsport OR, Vancouver BC, Bronx NY, Liverpool NY, Leicester UK, Saint Louis MO, Ottawa ON, Windsor CT.
September 24. 13 hits. Raleigh NC, Newark NC, Redwood City CA, Sheridan WY, Concord NC, Port Saint Lucie FL, Mountain View CA, Hillside IL, Highlands NC, Rockville MD.
September 25. 14 hits. Syracuse NY, Hurricane WV, Seattle WA, Abernant AL, White River Junction VT, Denver CO, Linville VA, Concord NH, Edmond OK, Oak Ridge TN.
September 26. 16 hits. North Hampton NH, Bronx NY, Saint Louis MO, Groton MA, Asheville NC, Ypsilanti MI, Monroe GA, Charleston WV, Beach Lake PA, Gig Harbor WA, Mississauga ON.
September 27. 13 hits. Sackville NB, Greensboro NC, Abernant AL, Saint Louis MO, Grand Rapids MI, Kahului HI, Byrnedale PA.
September 28. 11 hits. Saint Louis MO, Concord NH, Abernant AL, Stratham NH, Seattle WA, Galmanton Iron Works NH, Sammamish WA, Lowell MA, Piedmont WV.
September 29. 14 hits. Athens GA, Brooklyn NY, Adelphia NJ, Norfolk VA, Derry NH, White Rock BC, Fayetteville NC, Portland ME, Durham NH.
September 30. 10 hits. Thomson GA, Abernant AL, Saginaw MI, Maxwell IN, Apollo PA, Jacksons Gap AL, Newnan GA, Red Hill PA.
October 1. 10 hits. Schnellville IN, Erieville NY, Abernant AL, San Jose CA.
October 2. 10 hits. Endicott NY, Randers Denmark, Worcester MA, Virginia Beach VA, Blackshear GA, Madison WI, Singapore, Cincinnati OH.
October 3. 11 hits. Seattle WA, Hayesville NC, Manchester UK, Enid OK, Bellows Falls VT.
October 4. 7 hits. Athens GA, Concord NC, Leasburg MO, Kernersville NC, Raleigh NC, Regina SK.
October 5. 7 hits. Little Falls NJ, Newtown Square PA, Kinston NC, Davison MI, Little Rock AR, Lake Mary FL.
October 6. 9 hits. Methuen MA, Greer SC, Andover MA, Charlotte NC, Wicklow Ireland.
October 7. 8 hits. Acworth GA, Auburn AL, Walden NY, Clinton Township MI, Augusta GA.
October 8. 4 hits. Mountain View CA.
October 9. 4 hits. Beaumont TX, Lagro IN, Saint Charles IA.
October 10. 5 hits. Charlotte NC.
October 11. 2 hits. Virginia Beach VA.
October 12. 8 hits. Cork Ireland, Wautoma WI, Antwerp Belgium.
October 13. 3 hits. Saint Louis MO.
October 14. 6 hits. Nashville TN, Birmingham UK, Cincinnati OH, Brooklyn NY, Presque Isle ME, London UK.
October 15. 12 hits. Murrells Inlet SC, Hopkinsville KY, Saint Louis MO, Holliston MA, Gloucester UK.
October 16. 2 hits. Wimbledon UK.
October 17. 4 hits. Augusta GA, Clymer PA, Leicester UK.
October 18. 2 hits. Broken Arrow OK, Redlands CA.
October 19. 7 hits. Charlotte NC, Hereford UK, Yakima WA.
October 20. 1 hit. Birmingham AL.
October 21. 0 hits.
October 22. 4 hits. Ilkeston UK, Saint Louis MO, Edinburgh UK.
October 23. 3 hits. Durham NC, Harrisburg PA.
October 24. 3 hits. Paradise TX, Killeen TX, Irvington NY.
October 25. 5 hits. Mooresville NC, Roxboro NC, Stafford TX.
October 26. 3 hits. Rock Hill SC.
October 27. 3 hits. Manchester NH.
October 28. 3 hits. Adel GA.
October 29. 0 hits.
October 30. 0 hits.
This seems like a good place to stop. I don't know what value these stats hold for entomologists. They are less a measure of the range and life cycle of the American dagger moth caterpillar than of people with computers searching on the term "fuzzy yellow caterpillar" or "yellow caterpillar" or "fuzzy caterpillar" or maybe even "fuzzy yellow slippers". But they do give you a sense of when the species is crawling around New England, for example.
Which states or provinces had the most hits?
125 New York
114 Michigan
110 Ontario
55 Massachusetts
49 New Hampshire
47 Pennsylvania
45 California (largely because Google is based in Mountain View CA)
39 Ohio
38 North Carolina
38 Georgia
Neither Michigan nor Ontario has an official insect. Yet both places are important territories of the American dagger moth's fuzzy yellow caterpillar. How about it, lawmakers?
[May 2013] People googling from Singapore or the UK have very probably seen a different fuzzy yellow caterpillar than the American dagger moth.
Plenty of Nothing stats clearly show the July to October fuzzy yellow caterpillar season.
[July 31, 2014. Searches for "fuzzy yellow caterpillar" are way up this year. The yellow bar for Jul14 is 2.1 K, a little higher than Aug13 or Sep13. If you treat the bottom 1K of each bar as normal background noise, there were about 400 "fuzzy yellow caterpillar" hits in Jul13 versus 1100 in Jul14.]
[July, 2016. There have been nearly no hits on this blog post so far this year, which means one of three things: 1) fuzzy yellow caterpillers are extinct, 2) fuzzy yellow caterpillars are still around but nobody cares about them, or 3) the Google Search algorithm is not showing this article because it was posted in August 2009. I think it's 3) so I'm reposting it in 2016, and we'll see if that makes a difference.]
We found that exact same caterpiller on our driveway.
Posted by: Nikki Bennett | 13 August 2010 at 04:16 PM
Most of our blog's traffic between July and October comes from people googling the phrase "fuzzy yellow caterpillar". Using our site stats I'm sure someone could come up with an animated map charting the sightings of this cute bug.
Posted by: Douglas | 14 August 2010 at 12:30 PM
The man who has made up his mind to win will never say "impossible".
Posted by: Air Jordans | 03 March 2011 at 11:37 PM
found one in my driveway. I'm thinking about raising it to see the moth. Hopefully I can figure out what to feed it!
Posted by: Sarah | 07 August 2011 at 09:35 PM
lol that is what directed me here...;) thanks!
Posted by: jen | 11 August 2011 at 02:51 PM
Maybe this what I saw today (Harrison County, IA) but I don't recall the black hairs. This year has been a bumper crop of centipedes invading the pation and basement. Every year has been something different. First year it was grasshoppers. Second year crickets, etc.
Posted by: bugnerent | 16 August 2011 at 11:26 PM
Ha, that's what brought me here! I saw one in Central Park this morning.
Posted by: Flora | 09 July 2012 at 03:11 PM
Friday July 13, Found one crawling on the foundation of the house, Very cool looking.
Posted by: Frank | 13 July 2012 at 02:12 PM
Found one here today in NJ. And here I was thinking I was preserving the future of a wonderful butterfly. NOPE, GUESS NOT. (I'd feel terrible if I had killed it, anyway)
Posted by: David | 20 July 2012 at 08:18 PM
Kingston, Pa 7/22/2012
Posted by: Kathy Burger | 22 July 2012 at 11:19 PM
Have one in our yard this morning. Burr Ridge, Illinois.
Posted by: Joanna | 25 July 2012 at 12:53 PM
and one on our house in Albany, NY today!
Posted by: paula | 28 July 2012 at 01:41 PM
got one crawling on my porch this morning here in johnson city, tn r they poisonous?
Posted by: lindsey | 31 July 2012 at 01:25 PM
Apparently some people are allergic to them.
Posted by: Douglas | 31 July 2012 at 02:21 PM
found one in my yard today in Lock Haven PA. my 2 yr old grand-daughter was amused.
Posted by: phylls | 01 August 2012 at 05:37 PM
found one on my shoe in the backyard in Boise Idaho today.
Posted by: jonathan sadler | 01 August 2012 at 09:37 PM
I found the exact caterpillar on my front porch today.
Posted by: Tanya Alvis | 07 August 2012 at 08:22 PM
Me and my daughter had one on the porch today..In Lorain,Ohio
Posted by: M Ortiz | 09 August 2012 at 06:05 PM
I saw this very same yellow fuzzy catterpillar on our porch,n it is so pretty.
Posted by: Marily Steckly | 13 August 2012 at 04:20 AM
To bad it's a moth...It would make a beautiful yellow butterfly. I have one playing ping-pong between railing posts today from Warne, NC.
Posted by: B. Bachand | 14 August 2012 at 04:18 PM
Provo, Utah today
Posted by: Andrea Fiscus | 18 August 2012 at 03:22 PM
I posted a video of the caterpillar I saw today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJcF5OPWIdU
Posted by: Andrea Fiscus | 18 August 2012 at 04:20 PM
We have one we found about a month ago and put it n a container and it is now a cacoon but it has not hatched yet..how long does it take to hatch? Toronto,Ontario
Posted by: Kristin | 21 August 2012 at 12:26 PM
Seems the length of time in the cocoon depends on temperature. If the insect is warm it'll emerge after three or four weeks. But if it thinks winter has come it'll wait until spring. Generally their life cycle is faster in the south and slower in the north.
Posted by: Douglas | 22 August 2012 at 10:34 PM
Fuzzy Yellow Caterpillar found in Wellsville Utah! There were so many!! We put 5 in a jar to take to school on Monday and show the class!
Posted by: Ashleemax | 25 August 2012 at 01:49 PM