Caterpillar ID needed

[mothman]

I'm seeking a name for a caterpillar found this summer (2 August 1998) in
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It was feeding on wild lettuce (Lactua
canadensis) on a woods road, in bright sunlight. Colour: black, including
legs and head; hairless; 5 dorso-lateral small orange/yellow spots on head
and thoracic segments; 3 similar spots on last 3 abdominal segments; length
about 4.5 cm (1.75 inches). The major character is a series of large orange
subspiracular spots on each segment.
    I checked McCabe, 1991, Atlas of Adirondack Caterpillars - nothing in
there resembles it. I looked in Wagnet et al, 1997, Caterpillars of Eastern
Forests - not in there. I even looked in Porter, 1997, Colour Identification
Guide to Caterpillars of the British Isles - nothing close!
    My guess is that it is a noctuid.
    If anyone has any ideas for an ID and/or would like to see a JPEG image
of the caterpillar, plese e-mail me directly at

                mothman at nbnet.nb.ca

and I will send you an image.

Thanks