Pinstripes!

Looks like the pictures of Phosphila, and the range matches.

Yes - wonderful! Thanks a gazillion!

What a letdown the adult moth is! LOL Poor female must have been awfully confused to lay the eggs on pawpaw as opposed to what is supposed to be the (preferred? or only?) larval plant for that species, Smilax.

They look pretty fat and happy! Maybe you discovered a new host plant. :P

I don't see any sign of caterpillar feeding on the pawpaw. I'm not so sure that they've been feeding.

Well, no, I saw no evidence of feeding either. And these are later instars, and there was no smilax close at hand, though as I mentioned there is some in that woodland, so it seems weird that there were so many all lined up like that (which is normal behavior) - but on pawpaw leaves... I mean, I could see one or two maybe falling from a greenbriar, but not that many! Yet one more mystery of nature that never will be solved, I expect.