Yellow-necked Caterpillar Moth

Also known as Yellow-necked Caterpillar, Yellownecked Datana

Adult yellow-necked caterpillar moths hide in plain sight during the day, folding their warm cinnamon-brown wings tight to mimic dried foliage or bark. Clusters of distinctive black-and-yellow-striped larvae congregate on deciduous branches in late summer, lifting both their heads and tails into a rigid U-shape when threatened. While colonial feeding can noticeably strip outer canopies of walnuts, oaks, and fruit trees, trees typically recover without lasting harm before autumn leaf drop.