Milkweed's not just for Monarchs Do you have hordes of hairy black, orange, and white caterpillars munching on your milkweed? If so, congratulations on meeting the milkweed tussock moth, an Ohio native. The caterpillars go through a number of instars, or growth stages, before reaching their largest larvae stage. The first instar for the larvae are often difficult to detect. They are initially pale yellow and bristly with black heads. These young larvae travel in a little fuzz