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20LikesThread: My new "pet" Pillie :)
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08-26-2011, 09:17 AM #1Senior Member
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My new "pet" Pillie :)
I hate, hate, HATE bugs...worms...insects...but I have fallen in love with this little guy!
I am lucky enough to have found the largest caterpillar in North America, a Hickory Horned Devil, right around the corner of my house and to be able to watch him grow 
His (or her 
) name is Pillie, and here are some pictures starting from 2 weeks ago when my husband found him dangling in the tree:
First day or so, when my husband found him he was thoroughly grossed out, and referred to him as 'a flesh-eating monster'
The following day, I think he molted into his final instar, orange phase...so beautiful!
The 3rd day, he is beginning to take on the green hue characteristic of the final instar!
After eating ravenously for a week, he has doubled in size!
Here is my lens cap for reference
You can see his color changing!
These were all iPhone photos...I took probably 100 on my dSLR but I am too lazy to upload them! I had to google really hard to figure out what he was at first because he was in his brown phase. Despite their fierce appearance, they are completely harmless! He's gotten even bigger than in the last picture, but he climbed up really high yesterday so I couldn't snap a decent shot. My guess is he was about 3 weeks old when we first spotted him...they spend 35 days in larval form before burrowing underground to overwinter...usually by that time they will turn completely turquoise. I'd say he's almost there, and I will be really sad to see him go
With the hurricane coming tomorrow, I'm actually a bit worried about him...and I'm seriously resisting the urge to bring him inside. Should I just let nature decide?
Well anyways, thanks for looking!Last edited by schtuffy; 08-26-2011 at 09:25 AM.
~* * Sophie * *~
Louis Japanese Spitz, 11/05/09
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Happiness is a warm puppy. ~Charles M. Schulz
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08-26-2011, 09:19 AM #2Senior Member
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WOW s/he is BEAUTIFUL!!!!
And if it where me I would chop down the tree and bring him inside!LOL
(But then again maybe DONT listen to me!
)
schtuffy likes this.^IMO/IME
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08-26-2011, 09:32 AM #3Senior Member
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My Lord. That thing is humongous. Not to sound like it creeps me out, but I'm glad it's in your yard and not mine.
Originally Posted by Donna Little
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08-26-2011, 09:44 AM #4Senior Member
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How cool is he!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
schtuffy likes this.
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08-26-2011, 09:47 AM #5Senior Member
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Oh trust me, it creeped me out! I was actually pretty disgusted at first, but over time I just really came to appreciate it! Originally Posted by xellil
xellil and PennyGreyhuahua like this.~* * Sophie * *~
Louis Japanese Spitz, 11/05/09
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08-26-2011, 09:47 AM #6Senior Member
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Look at what he will turn into:
Citheronia_regalisPCCA20040718-3494AB.jpg Originally Posted by Donna Little
Mini dachshund Snorkels - 14 years old
Doberman Rebel - 8 years old
both started raw April, 2011
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08-26-2011, 09:57 AM #7Senior Member
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I think I've actually seen the moth version of him, when we were in Washington DC I think. Over a 6" wingspan, we saw a few moths on a tree that were that big. It was quite impressive.
schtuffy likes this. Originally Posted by Donna Little
Mini dachshund Snorkels - 14 years old
Doberman Rebel - 8 years old
both started raw April, 2011
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08-26-2011, 01:40 PM #8Senior Member
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really cool!
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08-26-2011, 02:13 PM #9Senior Member
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you could get an aquarium and chop the branch he's on...bring him in long enough to escape the hurricane and then return him to nature.
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08-26-2011, 02:19 PM #10Senior Member
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Yea I was thinking something along those lines...it would just be for Saturday into Sunday, until the worst gusts and downpours are over. I knew I should have kept all my darn fish tanks after my bettas all died! Originally Posted by magicre
I guess we'll see what the weather is looking like tomorrow morning~~* * Sophie * *~
Louis Japanese Spitz, 11/05/09
PMR since November 2010
Happiness is a warm puppy. ~Charles M. Schulz
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