My favorite Fluffy Bugs!

Let’s talk about some of the fluffiest bugs ever! Be warned, although many of these critters look sweet, some are not as nice as they seem!!!

Our first fluffy friend is the American Dagger Moth ( Acronicta americana), specifically the caterpillar that tuns into the moth! Look at all that hair! These hairy fellows can be found east of the Rocky Mountains and like to hang out near oak, elm, maple, ash, and other deciduous trees. This bug usually rests all day and comes out at night to nibble on leaves. You’ll be most likely to find these bugs during spring to early autumn. Although they might look very pleasing to touch, the little black bristles across the back of the caterpillar can break off inside of your skin and cause a nasty stinging, itchy rash. Better to look at than to touch!

Our next bug actually doesn’t look fluffy at all…until it decorates itself with various debris and parts of dead bugs that it finds along its travels! Yes, this is the Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) larva – also known as the Junk Bug due to its collecting habits! They do this in order to blend seamlessly into their surroundings and hide from any predators. They are very beneficial to your gardens, as they will eat soft bodied pests like mealyworms, aphids, and leafhoppers – and will use these dead bugs as part of their fantastic wardrobe. These little junk bugs are found widespread across north America and particularly enjoy fields, forests, swamps, and gardens. Thankfully, these bugs aren’t venomous, but just be mindful that when you pick them up - you’re also picking up the corpses it has stuck on its back.

Unsurprisingly, one of the Lacewing’s prey is actually very fluffy as well! This is the fluffy white Mealybug (Planococcus citri)! These little guys are actually pink, and have a waxy “fluff” that protects them from heat. There are many different species of them, but they all share their iconic fluffy coating! These cuties are technically pests, and enjoy a large range of flora like poinsettia, citrus, rosemary, cactuses, and other succulent plants. Yum! These guys are found worldwide all year round, but most commonly throughout early fall to midwinter, so look outside and try to befriend some! Or, if you like your garden alive, pesticides may be used. 

These are my favorite bugs in the entire world!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are so cute and tiny and I love seeing them flitter around my backyard. These are the amazing, adorable, so so cute Wooly Aphids (Eriosomatinae)!!!!!! These tiny friends are also known as fairy flies or angel flies! You’ll find these guys in the northern hemisphere, sucking the sticky sap from an innumerable number of plants. These are pests, but don’t actually cause horrible damage to plants. The worst they can do is cause a sooty mold to grow or cause a powdery mildew to form. These bugs are completely harmless to animals, and feel like petting a tiny patch of cotton ( I know from experience). What cute little things!

Our final bug s definitely the fluffiest of them all, both as a caterpillar and as a moth! This is the lovely Puss Caterpillar, that turns into the Southern Flannel Moth (Megalopyge opercularis)!! So cute! The caterpillar gets fluffier and fluffier as it grows up, until it finally makes an extremely tough cocoon to spend its time metamorphosising. Although these fuzzy beasts are the cutest thing ever, their hair conceals several venomous barbs that provide a hefty sting that can last days or - even weeks! In rare cases, the sting has even caused anaphylaxis. Scary! Luckily, these extremely venomous caterpillars grow up into harmless fluffy moths. These guys can be found in Texas, Florida, Arkansas , and New Jersey. Watch out if you’re around these areas, and keep your hands to yourself!

I hope you learned a little something from all of this, and maybe appreciate our fluffy friends a little bit more! Thank you for reading.