Sizzling Brain: Caterpillar Whisperer

I tend to make friends wherever I go, just usually not with humans. When I was little it was always entertaining to sit in the driveway and stare at a pile of ants or watch a buzzing bee hop from flower to flower. Little has changed over the years; I am still captivated by the fuzzy yellow caterpillar I see inching its way across the back patio.

Of course I had to get closer to examine its movements. Placing a small twig in front of it, I had hoped the caterpillar would crawl onto it so I could get a closer look. As soon as its little jaws touched the twig, the caterpillar immediately recoiled into a defensive position, clinging desperately to the ugly blue carpet that covers the patio. Expert that I am, I waited patiently until the caterpillar came out of its pose, and this time slyly stuck a piece of paper underneath it as it wriggled behind a lounge chair. I had to move quickly because my puppy Max had taken an interest in what I was doing, and seemed to be as eager as I was to get his paws on this carpet crawler.

I carried the fuzzy little guy to the patio table and let it crawl around while I snapped some photos. The note card seemed to be its favorite resting place, because it clung firmly to paper when I tried to transfer it to a tree in the backyard. After several attempts the caterpillar finally got the hint and wriggled onto the bark. I made sure he was up high enough so Max wouldn't get any ideas. Now it is up to the caterpillar to decide its next adventure.