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Spiny Oak Caterpillar
Look, but don't touch! One of our most spectacular local caterpillars, the Spiny Oak Slug, is not to be trifled with. Those black-tipped bristles, called "caltrop spines" after a similar-looking roman weapon of war, will sting you in a very unpleasant way. Consequently, these caterpillars have very few predators. Despite this defensive advantage, they aren't very common -- but they are here at Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, waiting to be found and admired ... from a distance!
Credit: Michael Schramm/USFWS. Original public domain image from Flickr
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