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Monday, September 15, 2008

What the ...? Don't Touch It -- It's Evil!

Found inside a curled-up cherry leaf this morning.

Anyone know what this critter is?

Thanks to Jean for the ID of a saddleback caterpillar.

Would it be a bad idea to touch it?

Feed it to the chickens?

Feed it to Zorak, the evil mantis?

Apparently so. Well, not sure about Zorak, but there are plenty of grasshoppers around, so we won't chance it.

Top view






From the side:







Underneath:
at

7 comments:

  1. JeanSeptember 15, 2008 at 11:24 PM

    Well, I googled "spiky green caterpillar", and apparently, you have a saddleback caterpillar. Yes, they do sting, so be careful, as I seem to recall reading you recently had a hornet problem.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddleback_caterpillar

    Jean, Chandler, & the cats

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2008 at 11:50 PM

    It looks like a cross between a spring roll and a hairy bat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2008 at 10:51 PM

    WTF? It's a SAR caterpillar! Must be, it's wearing a shabrack.

    May be a tad slow, covering those acres.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heather HoulahanSeptember 17, 2008 at 11:02 PM

    Don't they use green shabracks for the forensics dogs?

    Making this a cadaverpillar?

    ReplyDelete
  5. jayjenjoSeptember 19, 2008 at 2:03 PM

    Check out this great creepy-crawly resource website

    http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

    they love to get photos submitted for IDs and are very good at providing accurate info on all things bug related

    ReplyDelete
  6. CaveatSeptember 22, 2008 at 6:47 PM

    Is that ever cool! How did you get the little t-shirt on him?

    And what does he become?

    I've never seen one of those before.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Heather HoulahanSeptember 22, 2008 at 9:48 PM

    Funny thing is, I saw another one in North Park at SAR training this Sunday. I guess now I know what to look for, I can "see" them.

    Check out this cool site:

    http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?guide=Caterpillars

    This caterpillar becomes a rather nondescript fuzzy brown moth:

    http://www.marylandmoths.com/Html/Limacodidae/Sibine_stimulea.html

    I've got a new caterpillar (already ID'd at the cool site above) to show, but I want to get a better photo of him tomorrow when it is light out.

    ReplyDelete

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