**Warning: Do not handle this caterpillar without gloves, as contact with its hairs may cause an allergic reaction. I used a stick, but I found it difficult to keep from touching the caterpillar as it crawled around.
Since we've cut down all our trees except for the dogwoods, we don't receive many visits from caterpillars. Thus I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered a wild and woolly one climbing up the gutter pipe. Unfortunately I lost the photos due to a corrupt CF card, so I'm identifying from memory, but I believe the specimen belonged to the species Orgyia leucostigma, or White-marked Tussock Moth.
If you find a similar-looking caterpillar, compare it to photos of the common Orgyia species. The genera resemble each other, but there are noticeable differences if you look closely. Also, make sure the species you're considering is found in your region of the US, i.e. East or West.
References:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/521
http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=8316
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Orgyia-leucostigma
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Orgyia_leucostigma/pictures/
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