Fancy-Pants... Again

I'm not entirely sure what it is about caterpillars that I find so fascinating, but I have to admit they are one of my favorite things in the insect world.  This is the second time I've seen this extraordinary moth caterpillar in my garden this year - the last time being in June, blipped HERE.  It is definitely the fanciest of the moth caterpillars, in my opinion.  Looks like some kind of crazy toothbrush.

This fabulously fancy cat will eventually turn into an extremely plain brown moth, called a White-Marked Tussock Moth.  In an ironic twist, the female moth is flightless so after "hatching" she waits for a male to find her.  She will then lay her eggs and pupate, covering the eggs with a mass of bubbles.  The eggs will overwinter, yielding more of these fuzzy little cats next year.  The caterpillars eat a wide variety of plants, so I'm kind of surprised I don't see them more often - but then again, I could just be missing them.

Great walk this morning with my nature group, although we were set upon by hoards of bloodthirsty mosquitoes.  I'd sprayed myself...except for my face and ears, which are now well stung.  Don't like mosquitoes.  Nope.  Still, it was a fun time and we saw some interesting things along the way.  Highlights:
Another fuzzy cat, changing clothes
Pair of Dogbane Beetles doing the wild thing
A swallowtail cat cleverly disguised as bird poop (you've gotta love nature).

Happy Monday, people.

xo
Debbi