This has to be my favorite caterpillar of all time. As a child, I was obsessed with finding one. I finally found it one day when I accidentally brushed it with the back of my elbow which suddenly felt like it was on fire. The area where it touched immediately swelled up into a bunch of little bumps. I looked down at where my elbow was and saw this... Saddleback Caterpillar ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) Saddleback ( photo / image / picture from FlowerFreak22's Garden ) I was so excited when I saw it that I almost forgot about the burning stinging pain on my elbow. Well, today I found two of them on some Lilies. Again I was very excited and just had to take a picture. I was fumbling with my camera phone trying to get it to focus on the caterpillar and I could not get to focus. I thought that I would grab the leaf it was on and move it to where I could get a better picture. I finally did and that is the picture that I posted. Unfortunately when I let go of the leaf it came back and the caterpillar hit me it the thumb. I then remembered back to my first encounter with it and the stinging it caused me. I could do nothing but laugh. Anyway, as you may have already figured out, the caterpillar stings you if you happen to touch any of the hairs it has around its body. It turns into a rather dull looking moth, but the larval form is just so unique to me. You can't tell from the picture, but it has two large green spots on the other side of it which resemble eyes. The view you are seeing is from the front of the caterpillar. The back side with the eyes helps protect it from predators.
It looks as though it's wearing a designer sweater!! I've never seen a caterpillar like that before and I can see why you get excited when you find one. I hope your thumb didn't swell up too much after your encounter with it.
I love all things "buggy." Great photographs. I have never seen this caterpillar. If I go south in the future, and happen to see it, I'll remember it can sting.
So strange,..it looks like a mole wearing a leaf jacket,..no wonder you got excited,..but elbow then thumb,..ouch,..i hope you have recovered,..the pictures were worth the pain, ,..i have never come across anything like that.
