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NO. 011Banded woolly bear, larva illustrationIllustration · not shown at life size

Caterpillars / Insect

Banded woolly bear

Pyrrharctia isabella

Larval stageAn everyday search

Black at both ends and rusty in the middle: this fuzzy caterpillar becomes an Isabella tiger moth.

Let’s look closer

Little clues

Three things to notice.

  1. Black bristles at both ends.

  2. Rust-colored middle band.

  3. Becomes an Isabella tiger moth.

Out in the world

Where to look.

Around southeastern Wisconsin

Paths and yards in fall.

When to look

Look for the caterpillar on fall paths. It spends winter tucked away, then wakes again in spring.

Look closely. Leave your tiny neighbor where you found it.

A closer look

One clue is just the start.

This is the caterpillar, or larva. The rusty band can be wide or narrow, so two woolly bears may look different.

A special find can be hard to spot without being biologically rare. Encounters depend on season and habitat.

Keep exploring

Meet the neighbors.

For curious grownups, too

Read a little further.

Original summaries, with references for deeper reading.

Make a creature disc

Artwork & downloads.

Drag a PNG image into xTool Studio, or use its download button. Images use the full-resolution files.

  • Banded woolly bear — Transparent front PNG

    Transparent front PNG

    76.2 mm canvas · white-outlined labels on a clear background

    011-front.png
    1800 × 1800 px

    Download PNG
  • Banded woolly bear — Relief depth PNG — prototype

    Relief depth PNG — prototype

    Matches this front · dark lettering 0.5 mm, outline 0.1 mm at 1 mm maximum

    011-height-disc.png
    1800 × 1800 px

    Download PNG
  • Banded woolly bear — Original artwork

    Original artwork

    Unmodified source PNG

    011-banded-woolly-bear.png
    1254 × 1254 px

    Download PNG

  • Editable front SVG

    Common & scientific names · finding clue · editable labels

    011-front.svg

    Download SVG

Front artwork is made for a 3-inch clear disc. Revised artwork still needs a physical check. Disc backs are blank; use the single carrier QR from the print studio to open the field guide.

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