Black and orange striped hairy caterpillar that becomes a black moth with a line of white dots about two thirds down its body. The body is orange/yellow and black striped. The moth was roughly the size of a 20 cent piece. Several caterpillars found individually on various Fireweed plants.
It's strange that I've only noticed them this year, no other year previously. Also, when I last went Fireweed picking I can across 2 different caterpillars, one a brownish inch worm type and the other I would guess at being Cabbage Butterfly. Who knows, in 10 years we might be able to leave the Fireweed to nature. Wouldn't that be nice!