Io moth caterpillar (Automeris io)?

"Animal, vegetable, mineral ... caterpillar! Like a tiny oasis of palm trees, the sweet, colorful io moth caterpillar has a broad range, from Manitoba and in the southern extremes of Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick in Canada, to Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, east of those states and down to the southern end of Florida. Io gets around.

And yes, those frond-like spines have a painful venom that is released with the slightest touch. Some people experience severe reactions and require medical attention, while some only itch or have a burning sensation"

Omar

What a pretty caterpillar, but not one to pick up to admire. I wonder what plant it's been feeding on and if he fell out of a tree and looking for a way back to his favorite food, or if it is a mature caterpillar looking for place to make a cocoon.

Two of their host plants are mesquite and hackberry trees, of which I have plenty. Sadly, his nemesis, the wasp, must have found him, because he was dead the next day. :-(