As Bill was finishing getting the camper leveled, I looked around the campsite — and found this ginormous caterpillar slowly crossing the fallen leaves and pine needles. Not having my sketchbook in hand, I took a few quick photos. A tent camper in the next site over called his wife over to see it but by then it completely disappeared. Perhaps burrowing into the ground?
At fully 6” long and so colorful, it was easy to find in an online search: it is a Hickory Horned Devil — as fierce looking as a Samurai but actually quite harmless. I read that even chickens, who love eating caterpillars, avoid them. After pupation in ground burrows, they emerge as Regal Moths, the largest moth north of Mexico.
Later, we watched from under our awning as two juvenile pileated woodpeckers literally danced around a nearby tree, oblivious to passing hikers and vehicles.
No comments:
Post a Comment