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5 inch brown caterpillar (Imperial moth caterpillar)

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Imperial moth caterpillar
by: Moni

April Starbird
glad you got to see one and that you were so kind to put it back where it could continue it's life cycle.
Nature is so cool!
imperial moth caterpillar
by: April Starbird

I picked this caterpillar up yesterday without realizing it was there, and was I surprised! It was on the underside of some fallen leaves, and seemed to be attached to them. It's big, soft, and spectacular looking - and I'd never seen one before. After a little study and contemplation, I put it back in a similar place, but (for its own safety) farther from the path - and went back to gardening in the rain. I was so delighted to find all those beautiful caterpillar photos, so that I could find out what I'd held in my hand. This happened in Maryland, just east of Washington, DC, on 27 September 2011.
Imperial moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Kat
Thanks for moving him off the trail! It might be that the 'bee' was a parasitic wasp or fly that lays eggs on these caterpillars.
I live in SE Iowa and last week saw two of these caterpillars...one with parasitic wasp eggs on it the other was OK. I kept the parasitized one to see what has laid eggs on it.
They are moving to get ready to pupate...wonder if they know we might have an early winter?
Beautiful and scary looking
by: kat

I am from West Des Moines, Iowa. I was walking down the path at Racoon River Park and I saw this one crawling across the path. This bee was trying to sting him but he didn't seem to be bothered. I moved him to the side of the path he was heading too. I had never seen one before either. He was very slow. I did turn him over and he has a big yellow mouth. Same color as the spikes on his rearend. He was very very big. I had never seen anything like it.
Imperial moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Anonymous
No they are not harmful....a little prickly to pick up but neat to see and have in your yard!
huge brown catterpillar with yellow nubs
by: Anonymous

I think this is what I found in my yard today. I live in Louisiana, I have two big oak trees in my front yard. Are they harmful?
Imperial moth caterpillar
by: Moni

Alan
Your photo is of the Imperial moth caterpillar.
These are found in eastern US, Ontario and Quebec.
This is one of the silkmoth (Saturniidae family) caterpillars...most get very large ... rather spectacular in color and size!
This caterpillar feeds on leaves of Bald Cypress, basswood, birch, cedar, elm, hickory, Honeylocust, maple, oak, pine, Sassafras, Sweetgum, sycamore, walnut. Since you found it in a flower bed and tho it is a little early in the season, it may be heading to find a place in the soil to pupate for the winter.
Adult moths do not feed and do come to lights at night.

Here are some photos of the larva and moth so you can look for the moth next summer.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/4757/bgimage

Being from IA I am jealous...I have seen the adult moths but not the caterpillar. Great find!

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