I never saw THIS before!

Rathbone · Aug 17, 2006

Looked like a cross between a caterpillar and a sea anemone.

I usually don't interfere with nature when photographing it, but my interest was piqued so I pulled him off with a stick, and put him on the propane tank next to me for a better look.

If anyone knows what this is, please tell me! LOL

bytch_mynickname · Aug 17, 2006

I have never seen anything like it. Not sure what it is but he sure is a cool looking bugger! I am interested to see what it is too.

Arch · Aug 17, 2006

what the hell is it wearing!?.... looks like some kind of funky vest?!..... very unusual creature, well captured :thumbup:

JTHphoto · Aug 17, 2006

this site claims it is a --> "Saddleback Caterpillar (Sibine stimulae)"

awesome captures of this little critter... very nice. :thumbup:

there are some strange bugs out there. i found this caterpillar last year and was equally enthralled --> [post=29391]What is it?[/post]

edit: Here's another site that shows the moth that it will turn into --> http://www.marylandmoths.com/Html/Limacodidae/Sibine_stimulea.html

oh, and I wouldn't touch it, another site had these comments on it... :stun:

From: Jessica (Sun 21 Aug 15:24:14 2005)
I was just stung by one of these buggers, and man what a sting! 1 hour later it's still burning. I was stung on the forearm, the pain went all the way up into my shoulder and the side of my chest. Nasty little thing!

From: Marvin (Wed 14 Sep 13:29:47 2005)
I just got stung by one as I brushed against it last week while gardening, first time I had seen one. Stung on the medial shin, it felt like someone was arc welding inside my entire calf within seconds and lasted for two days. Pretty but really nasty. People with a history of anaphylaxis should beware.

ShootHoops · Aug 17, 2006

Archangel said:
what the hell is it wearing!?.... looks like some kind of funky vest?!.....

:lmao:

You read my mind!

Rathbone · Aug 17, 2006

JTHphoto said:
edit: Here's another site that shows the moth that it will turn into --> http://www.marylandmoths.com/Html/Limacodidae/Sibine_stimulea.html

Maybe that's why I found this just a few steps away!

LOL @ the vest comments...I thought the same thing!

And yeah I wasn't about to touch it not knowing what it was lol

Alex06 · Aug 17, 2006

That is definitely the strangest catterpillar I've ever seen! Nice capture.

LaFoto · Aug 18, 2006

VERY interesting little thing. Good taste what clothing (and the colours thereof) is concerned

.
Lovely photos (good backgrounds, too, colourwise :greenpbl: ) of this little one and of the same after it has metamorphosed. Cool.

duncanp · Aug 18, 2006

Archangel said:
what the hell is it wearing!?.... looks like some kind of funky vest?!..... very unusual creature, well captured :thumbup:

yea, he seems to have the same fashion sense as you

Joop · Aug 18, 2006

It's a strange looking but well captured bug.

JTHphoto · Aug 18, 2006

Rathbone said:
Maybe that's why I found this just a few steps away!

LOL @ the vest comments...I thought the same thing!

And yeah I wasn't about to touch it not knowing what it was lol

that's a great shot too, when i was trying to ID it, i came across a few websites that would probably love to have some of these shots for ID purposes. Everyone I saw was more of a brown color, not orange. Maybe you discovered a new sub-species, you could name it.

mentos_007 · Aug 18, 2006

hahaha the last pic when THIS is lying upside dow (I think so :0 ) made me laugh

great thing

and a nice vest... I'm sure Corinna would love it.. it is GREEN!

chefjacob · Aug 18, 2006

coolest thing ive ever seen looks great

DepthAfield · Aug 18, 2006

Very cool looking critter! Nicely captured!!

Rathbone · Aug 18, 2006

JTHphoto said:
that's a great shot too, when i was trying to ID it, i came across a few websites that would probably love to have some of these shots for ID purposes. Everyone I saw was more of a brown color, not orange. Maybe you discovered a new sub-species, you could name it.

You make an excellent point, the pics on the sites you provided did show a brown critter...but in all other aspects it was exactly the same. I did adjust the brightness just a tad on my pics but I swear if anything I made them darker so it was definitely more of a peachy orange hue. This is exactly the sort of thing thatmakes me want to try selling some of these as stock photography, since when I see something different all I am thinking about is documenting it! That's why I got all the different angles on this one, well either that or I am obsessive compulsive.