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The wonders of nature

Posted By: Bob Jameson

The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:05 PM

As I was making one of my many trips across our lawn to the house from the shop something "out of the ordinary" caught my eye.

I thought it might be a piece of garbage etc.so I stopped to examine it and pick it up. Closer inspection revealed what I first thought to be a type of Newt lizard. It had eyes and a mouth and ear holes. As I looked more closely I couldn't identify it immediately. I have never seen one of these things before.

It raised its head up about 1/2" when I picked it up like a cobra snake. Interesting. It appeared to be some sort of grub like caterpillar. Very large head leading back to a tapered end of its thorax.

I finally realized what it was. A spicebush butterfly caterpillar.

Here's looking at you. smile

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Posted By: Sharon

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:09 PM

That's neat. Thanks for the share cool
Posted By: yotetrapper30

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:09 PM

He's kind of cute, lol.
Posted By: white marlin

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:11 PM

just an ordinary caterpillar that escaped from feeding in your lure shed. grin

PLEASE don't let any mice get in there!

grin
Posted By: waggler

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:17 PM

Kind of a cute little fella; I'll bet you could start a new pet craze with them . Probably start a new invasive species problem too.
Posted By: Gulo

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:18 PM

I'm forever amazed at these small treasures. Thanks for the post Bob.

Jack
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 06:27 PM

Tree man, there isn't any sustainable food for that catepillar in my shop. He will be spinning a cacoon soon preparing for the next stage of development.

Never been any mice in my facility. I built it right.
Posted By: Tom Fisher

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 07:24 PM

There on the school lunch menu in California instead of fries!
Posted By: white marlin

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 09:38 PM

just teasing, Bob!

(insinuating that it got into some "strange stuff" there, and morphed into something..)
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 09:42 PM

Those things may get into hyper drive if they got into some prime glands. smile
Posted By: white marlin

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 09:46 PM

grin
Posted By: John-Chagnon

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/18/22 10:07 PM

Very interesting
Posted By: Leary Sink

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 03:20 AM

That thing is so ugly it’s cute. I wonder how that camouflage works protecting the little varmint from a hungry bird.
Posted By: Leftlane

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 03:57 AM

I'm guessing if you had a flock of free range hens he wouldnt have lasted long enough for you to notice him. He is odd, I can't remember seeing anything like that.
Posted By: 7887mm08

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 09:33 AM

That is a first for me, cool!
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 11:25 AM

At the base of its tail it had a flat area much like a suction cup as you may see on an octopus tenacle. When I brought it into the house to take some photos I put it on a white CD envelope to get a good background. During that short time frame it excreted some grey liquid which attached it to the paper.

When I came back from getting my camera it was gone. It had crawled off about a foot away and was moving along my USB cable attached to my laptop.

I touched it gently, when I did it raised itself up like a cobra snake while bracing itself with its lower body and appeared to be looking around its surroundings.

When I went to pick it off the cable and put it back on the paper envelope for pictures it raised up once again to appear more ominous in size and intimidating.

A type of defensive postureing I would assume. A very interesting creature.

At closer examination of this creature the eyes, mouth and ears are only markings on the surface of its skin. They seem to be there to give the illusion of a larger more formidible creature. Its (proboscis) true mouth was actually on the forward bottom side end of the illusionary face markings.
Posted By: w side rd 151

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 12:00 PM

Bob Maybe you should change your name to Hawkeye. You certainly have a good eye for noticing things most people would not even give a thought to .Nature is an awe inspiring never ending Miricale
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 01:01 PM

Steve I had an interest in bugs of all kinds, animals and birds from a very young age. I believe that interest and fasination of those things was the planting of the seed that put me on the path to where I am today.

Being observant and curious is a vital part of who we are as outdoorsman and trappers.
Posted By: w side rd 151

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 01:38 PM

Bob I was also captured by nature at a young age .From as long as I remember I was catching frogs minnows bunnies pheasant chicks just to get a better look at them I would let them go after a day or two .If I saw a bird nest I had to look in it to see what the eggs looked like .That fascination with nature motivated me to read so I could learn about wildlife .By the time I started school I had a desire to read .And by enjoying reading it was easy for me to get good grades throughout my school years I had my mom order me a subscription of the PA Game News several years before I was old enough to legally hunt .The best thing we can do to help young kids get a good start in life it to get them interested in reading .
Posted By: 330-Trapper

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 01:48 PM

Very cool ! Great share!
Posted By: RdFx

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 07:26 PM

Well ill be , thanks for posting Bob. I learned a new catapillar and butterfly.
By the way your cat urine stinks......LOL
Lee
Posted By: Trapper7

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by Bob Jameson
As I was making one of my many trips across our lawn to the house from the shop something "out of the ordinary" caught my eye.

I thought it might be a piece of garbage etc.so I stopped to examine it and pick it up. Closer inspection revealed what I first thought to be a type of Newt lizard. It had eyes and a mouth and ear holes. As I looked more closely I couldn't identify it immediately. I have never seen one of these things before.

It raised its head up about 1/2" when I picked it up like a cobra snake. Interesting. It appeared to be some sort of grub like caterpillar. Very large head leading back to a tapered end of its thorax.

I finally realized what it was. A spicebush butterfly caterpillar.

Here's looking at you. smile

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I like to watch the show America's Funniest Home Videos, Animal Edition. They have a portion on the show called, The Strangest Thing You Will See Today.
They show some really strange things. This would certainly qualify for that segment. That is sure strange.
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: The wonders of nature - 09/19/22 10:46 PM

Lee are you trying to hurt my feelings.? LOL
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