September 27, 2006: Big-ass caterpillar
 

http://cellar.org/2006/cater1.jpg

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!

http://cellar.org/2006/cater2.jpg

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.

http://cellar.org/2006/cater5.jpg

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.

The "somewhere in Pennsylvania" turns out to be French Creek State Park.

If it's not harmful to humans then why am I nauseaus just from looking at it?

Why aren't we throwing it in butter and fryin' it up?

Why aren't we frying it in butter and throwing it up?

Now I know what Mothra looked like before metamorphosis.

I like to save my butter for cannibutter...hehe...

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

THrow a few devils on the barbie?

Looks a lot like a tomato worm.

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!

Which, incidentally, is ENTIRELY too close to The Cellar, since they have beasts like this roaming the place.

What do you expect, after all it is FRENCH Creek. :D

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.