Caterpillar Lab

If you are feeling the lack of bugs in the winter (and who doesn’t) I recommend a visit to the Caterpillar Lab in Marlboro NH (https://www.thecaterpillarlab.org). It is a wonderful, bug (and kid) friendly place where you can learn about caterpillars while admiring stick bugs and trying to determine what is a leaf and what is a bug in camouflage.

During caterpillar season they travel around the area with a wide array of fascinating and unlikely caterpillars, such as beast pictured below. This is such a wonderful creature it has its own name, the Hickory Horned Devil. This lovely animal will become the Regal Moth (aka Royal Walnut Moth) Citheronia regalis.

Regal Moth Citheronia regalis (Photo by Gdlurs Scott D. Werner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

If you visit the lab in the winter you will see fewer caterpillars as they are mostly active from spring through fall. However, you avoid the crowds and you can see some of the bugs who get less attention during caterpillar season. Below are a couple that were hanging out on plants, ignoring the oohs, and ahhs from admirers.

(I forgot to write down the name of this critter. Feel free to name it in the comments box if you can.)

praying mantis

Thanks for looking,
Stay well, be curious, learn things.

Kate
January 2021

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If you enjoyed this post perhaps you will enjoy these as well.

• The Beauty of Winter
• Flying Tutus
• Glaciers to Gardens
• Night Lights in June
• Happiness Practice – Day 7

• The Beauty of Winter
• Flying Tutus
• Glaciers to Gardens
• Night Lights in June
• Happiness Practice – Day 7