There is a caterpillar on the doorframe leading out to the deck (on the outside.) He is about an inch and a half long, dark, with snazzy yellow racing stripes and some orderly paired yellow spots (more of interrupted stripes) along his back. He is not fuzzy, but has some fleshy spikes, a black head that looks rather insectile, and black, somewhat kinked antennae. He has eight sets of legs–three in front, four in back, and a sqodge of tail that may or may not involve limbs.

I cannot find a photo of him on-line in the “Caterpillars of Eastern Forests” site, and don’t know of a field guide by color, and the lighting’s in a bad spot for me to get a photo. Lacking any notion of the family, wading through dozens of moth guides sounds a little alarming. Anybody have any notions?

Update: And thanks to trishtrash below, we have identification! He is that nefarious pest, the orange-striped oakworm!

I’m supposed to squish him to save the trees, but that would involve getting caterpillar gunk all over things. Erk.