Take a good look at what three of my students found on the playground this afternoon. It looks furry like a mammal, has what appears to be a ponytail, and seems to "glide" rather than crawl across the leaf. It drew the attention of staff and students alike, as we puzzled til our puzzlers were sore.
Then it occurred to me to google it.
This is the caterpillar of the puss moth, sometimes referred to as the "Elvis Caterpillar" due to it's awesome pompadour and slug-like build, according to www.squidoo.com/caterpillar-identification.
The site went on to say that these caterpillars have stinging hairs, and that they sometimes drop out of trees onto unlucky passersby. These moths are relatively uncommon, so if you see one, you are lucky -- but don't touch!
Neat find, my young entomologists!
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