Sunday, September 20, 2020

"Wooley Bear"


I opened the garage door the other day, and there, lying behind the garage door on the cement floor, was a long black thick thing.  I recognized it as a caterpillar and didn't want anything to happen to it, so I carefully went to pick it up.  The second I touched it, it rolled up into a circle like you see here.  So I found a piece of cardboard as a background, and took it over by the garden to photograph it in the sunlight.  I haven't seen one of these in years.  The common name is "wooly bear" but it's real name is "eyed-tiger moth caterpillar."  This type of caterpillar is both harmless and beautiful to look at, which makes them a welcome visitor.  They are not harmful to us, and in fact, they are good to have around.  They go through several stages of molting and then go on to become beautiful moths - in this case the giant leopard moth.  It is particularly striking, with its three-inch white wings which look almost porcelain, with embossed black rings randomly positioned throughout. It’s bright and unique, making it stand out even among the most eye-catching insects.  What an amazing find this caterpillar was.  I put it in the herb garden, next to the driveway, and haven't seen it since.






3 comments:

Liz said...

I remember those! I remember how they’d roll up into a ball, wow, so fun to see one again. I’m going now to look up tiger-eyed moth to see what they become - will I recognize that, too?!

Anonymous said...

What a cool photo. I don't think I have see the wooly bear caterpillar before. I had to look it up and see a photo of the giant tiger moth. Can you say a moth is stunning with it design? I hope he makes himself at home in your garden and you can welcome the moth in the Spring.
Joan

Anonymous said...

WOW! I have never seen a Woolly Bear caterpillar before. I also had to look up to see photos of what they will become - spectacular! Amazing creature. betsey