The Cellar Image of the Day

Wolf not only finds this one, she does all the legwork of getting info on it, all credit to her.

This shot was taken by a park ranger "somewhere in Pennsylvania". This thing is wider than the guy's finger and as long as his hand! Whoa!

It turns out that the beast, in caterpillar form, is called the "hickory horned devil" - more images here. And yeah, it's typically 5" long. They say it's not harmful to humans. They say.

But when it turns into a moth, it's underwhelming despite its new name, the "regal moth".

Sure, we've seen that story before -- the big, colorful, horny youth, who turn rather plain as they age but continue to think of themselves as royalty.

I found one of those when I was a kid! Unfortunately, we didn't know how to care for it (they pupate underground, and we kept it on a branch until it was too late), so it died. Incredible critter.

Wonder if it is as edible as those West coast banana slugs?

THrow a few devils on the barbie?

OMGosh! Did anyone see the fear factor episode (i'm sure there's been more than one, but maybe not) where they had to eat the tomoato worms! That was the SICKEST thing I've ever seen. They would bite into them and their juices would squirt them in the eyes, and the people standing near by...ooooh, that's so gross....now my stomach hurts. I could never make it on fear factor, just because of the weird shit they have to eat!

i live in walking distance to french creek state park. i aint skeered. you should see our centipedes. i've almost completed the saddle i'm making for the smaller one. i'll need more cows to make one for it's mom.

o/t

I noticed the strategically placed hyphen in the title of the thread, thereby saving a lot of dumb jokes...Well played, UT.

I happen to be SEVERELY allergic to insect stings, bites, basically, anything involving them up to and including awkward meetings and shy conversation at cocktail parties.

One of the most dangerous critters in all of North America for me to meet happened actually to friggin WALK ACROSS MY BACK a few years ago. This bad ass beastie was identified to me as a "Lesser Yellow Fuzzy Caterpillar". Why is it so dangerous, you have to ask? No, really, I hear you out there . . . You, with the Dell laptop, I hear you...well, let me tell you...

This thing, this beast from hell is dangerous on two levels:
A) Its legs contain powerful hystamines which cause an person who is allergic to have a reaction including swelling, closing of the muscles around the larynx, itching, sweating, and skin irritation (hives, blisters, etc) and
B) Its cute, little fuzzies all over its back? Well, those have one of the most powerful neurotoxins in North America for its size, and those little bastards get into your skin with all the usual reactions, sweats, hot flashes, cold flashes, numbness, loss of breathing, the usual fun stuff.

All I can say is:Thank GOD for epinephrine and Benedryl. I chugged half a bottle of Bennie, hit myself with my autoinjector, called 911, and passed out on the front steps --woke up with the ambulance guys being worried over me. But I lived to tell the tale (obviously) so now, whenever I see a caterpiller, well, I don't give a shit that some cute ass butterfly is the result, I squash em. bastards. every one of em.

Death to the buggies. Long live the Praying Mantiseses (what the HELL is the plural of that anyway). Ciao

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saknussem

Well, this happened while I was living at
677 ****** Road
Brooklyn, NY

on the front porch, yet.

bastard caterpillars coming to Brooklyn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saknussem

That's what we want to know... and what were you doing... and with whom... and preferably with pictures.