Tommy Hortman discovered something super weird when he came back to his parked car: a furry alien-looking creature with six legs slowly crawling around his vehicle.
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He said that 'It looked alien, like a claymation cross between a squid and a lobster.' Hortman continued by saying that, 'It was slow and lumbering. I had no idea what it was.'
But according to an entomologist from Virginia Tech University, Eric Day, the clay-like critter has a painful sting! Yikes. You’re likely wondering if this alien-looking thing actually has a name or if it’s just a completely random creature?
It’s likely a hag moth caterpillar! But don’t expect to find one wiggling around your car any time soon. These caterpillars aren’t very common at all, something which Day confirms:
'They're not terribly common. This one in particular, we get enquiries about maybe every few years. I've never actually collected one.'
So where can you find hag moth caterpillars?
Day says that:
In the US they feed on apple trees, ash, birch, cherry, chestnut - all kinds of things. So you can find them in a lot of different places.
Want to know what happens when the hag moth caterpillar stings you?
Warning: it’s not very pleasant! Take a look at our video to find out more information on these super rare creatures!
