Hickory Horned Devil
Posted on in Recent Sightings by Hawk Mountain
Alien sighting at Hawk Mountain! Trainee Emily Ritter spotted this otherworldly creature, a Hickory Horned Devil (Citheronia regalis), just inside the trail gate entrance. This prickly caterpillar is actually harmless despite its looks, and is North America's largest caterpillar species, measuring up to 6 inches long. This insect will spend the fall; winter; and spring as a pupa in the soil, emerging in the summer as a Regal Moth, the final form of its lifecycle.
Photo by Emily Ritter.