While putzing around out in the gardens today, I found one of the creepiest looking critters I have ever seen. While he is beautiful in his own right, I am extremely glad that he is only an inch or so long because he looks down right dangerous and is!!
Apparently, my photo shoot subject of the day is a saddleback caterpillar also known as a "packsaddle." They are a native North American species found in late summer and fall and are quite the dangerous little fellers. The yellow things that appear to be eyes, are in actuality, its rear end. It has a set of horns on both ends and is also venomous. The stings can be quite painful, cause nausea and a nasty rash that can last for several days. I am very glad he was on a piece of downed corn that I could just scoop up. He probably would have sent my allergic behind to the hospital.
Wow...that is the stuff nightmares are made of...
ReplyDeleteit sure was pretty though... the moth is quite ugly... i went looking it up afterward and i was not impressed
ReplyDeleteyes, looks sci-fi .
ReplyDeleteNice picture - really kind of a beautiful bug with some great defensive abilities. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete