A milkweed tussock caterpillar (Euchaetes egle) on a milkweed leaf. They are often seen in clusters on the milkweeds at this time of year. As a moth, they are a rather nondescript pale brown but they have an orange abdomen with black spots.

The haiku is by Buson (1716-83), translated by Stephen Addiss, Fumiko Yamamoto and Akira Yamamoto.