The Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillar

Noah and I were doing some gardening this afternoon and came across a giant leopard moth caterpillar. It was huge with black prickles and red stripes. Of course, I had no idea what it was, so I wouldn't let Noah touch it. We came back inside to look online to see if we could determine what it was (it came up as soon as I googled black caterpillar with red stripes). Of course, by the time we figured it out and I got my camera, the caterpillar had crawled off, so I had to use this picture from a website instead of taking my own. Even in a townhouse, the backyard is full of interesting surprises. Though Noah may have been just as impressed with the earthworms we found as he was in this beautiful caterpillar.

The reason we were clearing through the yard is that we're getting it ready for our experimental vegetable garden. This weekend I bought garden soil, and cucumber, zucchini and green bean seeds. Hopefully we'll be able to plant them next weekend. I am not a green thumb kind of person at all. In fact, the succulent in my office has been dieing a long, slow death because I so rarely water it. But, I am determined to grow veggies this year. Ms. Sangeeta and Ms. Danette keep a garden at Noah's daycare and last year he was fascinated by the vegetables. I like the idea of him knowing from where food comes. Surprisingly, the parsley and rosemary that I planted last summer seems to have lived through the winter snows and are thriving, as is the chive plant in the planter box on the deck.