Hairy caterpillar - at this time of year?

[vole-woman]

I was in a Shropshire car park yesterday when I saw a lady and a young girl stop to admire a hairy caterpillar that was crossing the pavement. I went over and had a look, and we decided the caterpillar stood a better chance if I returned it to the grass verge rather than letting it try to cross the supermarket car park.

I have no idea whether it was butterfly or moth - all I can tell you is that it was dark brown and bristly - but what's a medium-sized caterpillar doing out at the beginning of March? It's been really cold round here, too.

[Dogghound]

Most moths and some butterflys overwinter as larvae, its perfectly normal, they hibernate half grown and continue to grow after the winter. This is likely to have been one of the Lasiocampidae or Arctiidae. At a guess it is possibly a fox moth? These are very comon around here at the moment.

[vole-woman]

Well I never knew that! Thanks.