Ring of fur

This is the third woolly bear caterpillar I've come across in the past couple of weeks so I think it's high time I blipped one. Actually it's not a bear but a tiger: the larva of the Garden Tiger moth, Arctia caja, although not confined to gardens - those I've been finding have all been on the coast.

The woolly bear's hairy mantle is protective against predators, being slightly irritant, as well as rendering it a rather fuzzy beakful. But since the larva overwinters as a caterpillar before pupating in the spring the fur coat must provide some degree of protection against the cold as well. Today was mild but damp, hence the drizzly droplets visible on the caterpillar's pelt.