You saw in this post what Acronicta americana eggs look like through development, and here are the first instars! Hungry little guys already skeletonizing a red maple leaf. Crazy how such plump little caterpillars came out of such colorful flat eggs… I wish I could have seen them actually hatching.

They started out greenish/whitish/purplish, with sparse long hairs. Hard to imagine these turning into the big white fuzzballs I know they become… but they’re on their way.

Today I noticed some were larger and more opaque. Still missing the characteristic dark tufts, I wonder when those will appear?And even displaying the classic Acronicta resting position!So far so good, I’m excited to watch them grow.