The length of the forewings is 1.4 - 1.6 cm.

The wingspan is 46–50 mm.

The spotted tussock moth (Lophocampa maculata) gets its name from the long tufts of hair it has as a caterpillar. The adults are a mix of yellow and brown while the larvae are a fuzzy pattern of yellow and black. These larvae are pests because they consume a wide range wood, including birch, oak, maple, and willow.

Adults are tan with chainlike light brown markings and a brown line with a small white dot.

Lophocampa argentata is a bear butterfly from the spider owl family (Erebidae). The scientific name of the species was first validly published in 1864 by Packard.

The hickory tussock moth caterpillars look cute. Its body is completely covered by long and soft hair, which is mainly white with a thick black line along the middle of the back, and four longer black hair bundles at either end. You had better not to touch them, because these little ones may cause itchy rashes (contact dermatitis). By the way, this species is widely distributed in the eastern half of North America.

Male General color dark ocherous; palpi, front and shaft of antennae light yellow; thorax with some indistinct darker shades. Markings on primaries very obscure; three spots along costa of a light yellowish color, the first two followed inwardly by a minute spot of similar color; an obscure spot just beyond cell, from which a faint broken brown line proceeds to middle of inner margin; beyond this another faint line commencing at vein M2 and ending above inner margin in a uniform spot, slightly lighter than ground color; a brown dentate submarginal line, most prominent at apex. Secondaries hyaline (glass like), tinged with yellow at anal angle. Beneath hyaline; primaries broadly suffused with dark ochreous at apex and outer margin; costal margin of both wings yellowish, a brown mark just beyond cell, and an incomplete submarginal row of spots of same color. Wingspan 43 mm.

The length of the forewings is 1.2 - 1.7 cm. The forewings are dark grey with darker grey transverse lines and variable amounts of lighter cream patches. The hindwings are variable, but usually bright orange. Other variants range from nearly white to deep red or entirely black.