Mangesh Hattikudur
That’s One Giant Caterpillar
by Mangesh Hattikudur - October 6, 2006 - 12:53 PM

cater1.jpgcater2.jpg

Despite the fact that I’ve spent quite a bit of time in North Carolina, I’ve never stumbled into one of these creatures. (Thank god!) Apparently, it’s called a hickory horned devil, and is completely harmless despite its monstrous 5 inch length. Of course, with such an ugly duckling presence you’d expect it to blossom into something gorgeous. Unfortunately, it ends up looking like this.  Learn more at TheCellar.
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Comments (13)

  1. At least now I can identify the bug that must have been up my 10th grade history teacher’s ass.

    posted by Sheldon Siegel on 10-6-2006 at 1:04 pm

  2. That is, without doubt, he most horrifying thing on the green earth. If I saw it out & about, my heart would stop and with my last neural firing, I would fling my prostrate body as hard as I could in the opposite direction so as to ensure it wouldn’t get on my corpse.

    posted by Amanda on 10-6-2006 at 1:22 pm

  3. I don’t think that little guy is all that horrible–interesting-looking, i would say. And as a moth, i think he’s actually pretty. However, i still wouldn’t want him crawling on me.

    posted by Kelli Jae Baeli on 10-11-2006 at 6:19 am

  4. God has a sense of humor.

    posted by tammy on 10-11-2006 at 8:40 am

  5. Or maybe he has something against caterpillars.

    posted by Nihilist on 10-11-2006 at 10:26 am

  6. An interesting critter. I prefer my pet tarantulas, however.

    posted by spiderlady on 10-11-2006 at 12:36 pm

  7. That is an amazing creature! I’d rather see one of those than a tiny bug that runs fast.
    Was it smooth or fuzzy ? How big is the moth?

    posted by wildlife warrior on 10-11-2006 at 1:49 pm

  8. not sure on the smooth or fuzzy question… it kind of looks fuzzy from pics I’ve seen. As for the moth, though, it sounds pretty big. from what I’ve read it has a 6 inch wingspan!

    posted by Mangesh on 10-11-2006 at 2:16 pm

  9. dude – i definitely saw that guy at my mom’s house once – no joke.

    posted by Emily on 10-11-2006 at 5:46 pm

  10. Believe me, the sight of THAT thing would DEFINITELY send ME off running and screaming into the woods (as would the sight of any of “spiderlady”‘s tarantulas). I would much rather see a nice snake myself.

    LINDA A.

    posted by Linda A. on 10-12-2006 at 6:36 pm

  11. Mothra!!!

    posted by martha on 10-13-2006 at 3:07 pm

  12. Shame Mangesh…I think that caterpillar is quite beautiful. It IS in the eye of the beholder, is it not?

    posted by kt on 10-14-2006 at 7:58 pm

  13. I meant the moth….

    posted by kt on 10-14-2006 at 7:59 pm

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