I have no problem with snakes. Spiders I have some issues with, but I like snakes.
I might shriek if I stumble upon one in the yard, but immediately afterward I want to look at it and make sure it is safe. We have a big rat snake that lives behind our house. It is about four feet long and climbs a tree to sun himself every spring. I love that snake.
So I am not sure why poor little Sweetpea got so scared at the park. Her big sister was playing on the slides and I was walking around with the baby while Sweetpea played near the little kids’ section.
Suddenly, she stood rigid and started shrieking hysterically. I came over and put my hand one her shoulder to comfort her, and she was shaking. When I finally could make out what she was saying, it was “Snake! Snake! Snake!”
I looked all around, but there was no snake. The playground surface was that spongy synthetic stuff, and a snake should be easily spotted. I told her there was no snake, but she continued to shriek and shake.
I looked again. There, about two feet away from Sweetpea, was a yellow and black swallowtail caterpillar. It was only two inches long. It had black eye-like markings, and was raising the front half of its body, presumably to scare away big fearsome predators like my two-year-old.
I don’t know which of them was more scared.
May all her snakes be caterpillars.
Hi. I’m new here, just found your blog this week. You have such a way with words!
I could live happily ever after without snakes or spiders! Maybe I should move to Antarctica…. I hear there are no snakes there.
And I keep reminding myself that most spiders are harmless to humans and they keep the insect population in check, but still, they are so creepy crawly!
I have never seen a caterpillar like that. He is really cute (to be larvae anyway).
Hey, he’s kind of cute!
I think that would have startled me, too. I have a friend whose little boy can find any snake within a hundred yards. He gleefully produced one (a small one) from my garden after turning over every retaining wall stone out there. I’ve seen it again a few times, and it is kinda neat. Now a 4-foot one, I don’t think I could feel so charitable towards.
Hah! My husband hates snakes. Gonna have to battle that one and hope it doesn’t reach The Boy.
I think that’s the cutest catrepillarsnake I’ve ever seen.
Nice blog, just found it recently.
It looks pretty fearsome to me! With those eye markings, and it was clearly putting out a very effective scary vibe to protect itself.