Rusty Tussock Moth - Orgyia antiqua

Whilst out harvesting Rupert and Katie found this fantastic caterpillar on the raspberry canes at the bottom of our garden, this species seems to feed on all sorts of trees including plum trees which overhang our raspberry canes. It is a common caterpillar, and is a pest in some places, but we were excited to find it as not only is the caterpillar quite extrodinary, but when we looked it up it is one of those species where there is striking dimorphism. The orange-brown male flies mostly during the day, but the female is flightless, spending her brief life attached to her cocoon.