Which specific wild plant is listed as a staple food for the Banded Woolly Bear?
Answer
Dandelion greens
The Banded Woolly Bear is characterized as a generalist eater with flexible dietary habits, preferring low-growing, broad-leafed plants commonly found in lawns and fields. Among the specific favored wild plants frequently mentioned as staples in their natural menu are Dandelion greens, Clover, Plantain, Burdock, Goldenrod, Violets, Nettles, Yellow Dock, and Curly Dock. Dandelion greens are explicitly cited as a primary component of their diet. Oak leaves, sycamore leaves, and nasturtium are mentioned, but they are specific requirements for other tiger moth caterpillars, such as the Edward's Glassy Wing Tiger Moth (oak) or various other species (nasturtium), highlighting the dietary divergence between species.
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