Morgan's Fuzzy Find

Last night Morgan found this fuzzy caterpillar crawling around our front porch step. I was content on just looking...Morgan, being the curious kid she is, insisted Mommy pick it up (EWWWW) and put it in her hand. Since my mothering brain said "Don't touch it, it might be poisonous" (actually it said Oh my gosh don't touch that disgusting, creepy, crawly thing!) I managed to find an empty water bottle and scoop it ever so gently into the bottle.

Having the opportunity to teach with this little yellow and black bug, I jumped on the internet and found out a few things about this caterpillar. It's an American Dagger Moth caterpillar.

Morgan wanted to keep it as a pet. I told her we can't keep it, but I would allow her to take it to school in the morning and share it with her friends before it is set free.

What it Looks Like: Long. Yellow. Fuzzy. Black “spikes” (called lashes). 36 jointed body parts.

Where it Lives: Colder climates (northeastern US and Canada).

What it Eats: leaves of alder, ash, birch, elm, hickory, maple, oak, poplar, walnut, willow and other deciduous trees

What does it do?: The caterpillar goes into his cocoon in October, sleeps all winter, and comes out of his cocoon as a moth in the spring.

Can we touch it?: It’s not a good idea. Their fuzz can cause a bad rash!

Can we keep it?: If you want to keep it, simply place it in a large jar/tupperware container, with some food (leaves--Maple, Oak, Birch and many others), and wait, clean the container every 2-3 days. When he spins a cocoon, leave the jar in a cold, sheltered location for the winter. A garage or shed works very well. In the spring, keep it warm and it will emerge as a moth.

I hope the teachers don't mind the minor detour on their teaching schedule. Morgan was so excited about it, I figured the other kids would too. Plus, it got it out of my house!! I swear, I didn't sleep all night because I kept thinking that the caterpillar was loose and heading toward my ear or mouth or nostril or something! (I know....there has to be some sort of deep, underlying explanation for this crazy fear).