Subject: Green caterpillar
Location: Brentwood Bay, south Vancouver Island
August 24, 2016 7:28 pm
This green beauty is about 3 inches long.
Just happened to see it on japanese maple.
We dont know how long it been there….August 24, 2016
Signature: R Laird
Dear R Laird,
This magnificent caterpillar is a Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar, one of the Giant Silkmoths. It is the most wide ranging North American species, and it is reported from all 48 continental United States as well as much of Canada. The adult Polyphemus Moth is one of the species with eyespots on the underwings that have evolved to fool predators into perceiving a much larger, and potentially threatening creature.