Hickory Horned Devil

My youngest daughter loves bugs, so when my mom found this last night, she brought it straight over.  After a few initial screams, we decided we had to try and find out what this interesting creature was.  I know I had never seen anything like it before!  It didn't take long after typing in "strange looking caterpillar" into Google before we came across its picture.  What did we do before Google?!

We discovered that it is called the Hickory Horned Devil caterpillar.  This scary looking thing is actually a very gentle caterpillar and is completely harmless, believe it or not.  The gruesome appearance is to deter other animals from eating it. After growing to more than 6 inches long, the Hickory Horned Devil will eventually turn into the large and beautiful Regal Moth once it emerges from its cocoon.

I am amazed that something so ugly today will be something so beautiful tomorrow. Isn't it fascinating how God designed each creature just to his liking?  I wonder what He thought when He set out to make the Hickory Horned Devil.  I imagine that He designed this creature with a little chuckle, perhaps wanting to create something that will cause children to stop and take a moment to be truly amazed.  Well, this child is truly amazed!  (And a little grossed out.)

 

Where is the Hickory Horned Devil now?  Spike, as we affectionally call him, will be taken to school today to share with others.  We will then release him back onto the pecan tree from which he was found and anxiously await the arrival of the beautiful Regal Moth.