Though bellbirds do eat hairy caterpillars from time to time, the reason for this behavior remains unclear. Caterpillar Calories Caterpillars are nutritious insects who represent a high-quality food source for birds. read more
Upon deeper investigation it is apparent that tent caterpillars, as annoying as they can be, play an important role in the Northern Michigan environment for birds and other wildlife. There are two species of springtime tent caterpillars in northern Michigan: eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma americanum) and forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria), ETC and FTC for short. read more