Help me identify a caterpiller

I found this guy outside my house in Saratoga county:


What is that? An emerald ash borer? An albino gypsy moth? A wooly polar bear?

I let it live. Should I have squashed it?

mm

Hickory tussock moth caterpillar. Only reason I know is I saw one a few months ago and looked it up. Apparently some folks can have an allergic reaction them if the touch them.

What the hell is this? First time I’ve seen this one