This morning I was outside cleaning some bottom board inserts, and I heard my sister call up from the barn, "REAGAN?! WHAT IS THIS?!" I went down and found her looking down at the biggest caterpillar I have ever seen galloping across the ground. I set the bottom board insert I was carrying in front of him, he crawled onto it, and we took him in the house. (I never touch an unknown hairy caterpillar, since some species have urticating (vemon-producing) hairs. He was perfectly safe however.
) It turned out to be an imperial moth caterpillar. We have seen imperial moths before, both as adults and caterpillars, but never one in it's final instar.
