Observation date: August 12, 2017
Submitted by: aross2187
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Came across this beautiful caterpillar on the banks of Beaver Creek near Hagerstown, Maryland. A friend and I were fly fishing for brown trout in Beaver Creek (average size brown in that river ~8-12'', though we caught one that was 24'' that day) and noticed this caterpillar about 12 inches off the ground, crawling from leaf to leaf in the underbrush. We saw a few others floating down the river, though did not observe any trout rising to eat those we saw floating. Weather was 75-80 degrees and partly cloudy, water temperature was in the 60s, medium-flow, depth 1-3 feet. Rare birds observed at the river that day include cardinals (2) and eagle (1). White larvae (~1/4 inch) were speckled along the underside of the brush along the river banks, couldn't tell whether or not they were related to this caterpillar. Also observed one groundhog in nearby vicinity, observed within 5 minutes of seeing this caterpillar. Observation by Andy Ross & Harrison Parker; photos by Andy Ross.
Status: Resident
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: August 15, 2017
Coordinator notes: None.
