Canadian Owlet Caterpillar (Calyptra canadensis)

I can count on caterpillars impressing me in a big way. So often they come in brilliant colors and occasionally one will look like a cartoon character.

And this one certainly fills the bill with its colors. The mature Canadian Owlet Moth is what some think of when it comes to moths. It is brown and blends in perfectly with the dead leaves of the woods. A great camouflage.

Native to Canada and much of the United States, though the warmer southern states don’t often see this bright beauty. The host plant of the Canadian Owlet is Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dioicum) which doesn’t care for that warm climate.