Bed Caterpillar!

[Twilight]

Hello. My first post to excuse me if I'm a bit vague.

I found a caterpillar in my bed last night after he made my arm itch and burn a bit!
I caught him and I've survived the night without dying , but I just wonder what he is now. Picture attached, sorry the quality isn't better.



My brief description goes like: Brown, black head, short hairs, Black stripe down middle of back, yellow with black outside it stripes down either side.

Oh yea, I live in Jersey if that's any help, and obviously I don't know what sort of plants he eats due to where I found him. I'm no flower!

Thanks...
DT

[ron1863]

A warm welcome to WAB Twilight. I don't have a clue about caterpillars but someone will provide an answer soon

[Lance Morgan]

Difficult to tell from photo but it is a post hibernation caterpillar of a moth. Probably one of the arctiidae - Tiger Moths

[charlieb]

Maybe one of the Footman?

[Twilight]

Thanks for your suggestions so far.

I found this other site which is supposed to have plates with illustrations of lots of caterpillars on, but the images are blank for me when I go to the page.
Is this just me or does this happen for you guys too?

The page is: http://www.whatsthiscaterpillar.co.uk/plates.htm

Thanks.

[charlieb]

I would avoid whatsthiscaterpillar.co.uk, no offence to the artist, the pictures are great but useless for IDing caterpillars.

Have a look at the ukleps.org

[Twilight]

Cor - cool site. Good quality pictures, and lots of them, but a bit of a pain to navigate!

Anyway, I think I may have a candidate for my tormentor - a Hoary Footman.
Now how do you pronounce that first bit, and was that why it was in my bed?!!

Thanks for the tips.
DT