Hornet Identification Help

[van from Arkansas]

In this area, Arkansas, we have the European hornet, red head, paper football size nest.  The red is a dead give away.  They are huge, and prey on my honeybees.  The are same size as the cicada killer, ground nester.

The fear in this country is the Japanese hornet seen in Washington state.  Same size as European hornet, huge, but yellow head and nest in ground by the hundreds causing human death to the unsuspecting that stumble upon a ground nest.  The Japanese hornet are similar to the first photo but twice the size.

Agreed, Ms. Member is our bug species identifier.  She is very good at identifying.

[Leoj900]

And beesnweeds! Well... I would hate to ruin our winning streak, but I would love to know what this is.
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[The15thMember]

I think that is an American Painted Lady caterpillar.  A few different butterflies are called that as a common name, but I think it's Vanessa virginiensis. 

https://bugguide.net/node/view/488

Does that look right?

[Seeb]

Looks right to me

[Leoj900]

You are telling me that we spent hours looking for this caterpillar and it turns out to be such a familiar friend? We have even raised some painted ladies when I was a kid. Thank you! That solved the biggest mystery I have had in my life so far.

[Bob Wilson]

Leo. I see these every year in early spring, searching around the yard, looking for places to start a nest. I always assumed they were yellow jacket queens. I never see hornets around Upson County, Georgia. But I do get yellow jackets in the summer/fall.

[The15thMember]

You are telling me that we spent hours looking for this caterpillar and it turns out to be such a familiar friend? We have even raised some painted ladies when I was a kid. Thank you! That solved the biggest mystery I have had in my life so far.

Haha, you are welcome!  Don't feel too bad, I raised painted lady's as a kid too and didn't recognize it either, so I'm feeling dumb about that as well.