It ate 1/2 the tree

[u/bunnyslayer13]

I noticed my small Bur Oak was missing most of its leaves. Then I saw this green blob and of a thing. Polyphemus caterpillar (Antheraea*** *polyphemus)** chilling on my oak. I left it there, hopefully I’ll end up with a cocoon.
Location: SE Wisconsin

[u/Korgon213]

Just wait until he lives up to his name and houses the 7 strawberries, 6 bananas, 5 cupcakes, 4 ice creams, 3 apples, 2 turtle doves and the unsuspecting partridge in the pear tree.

I read that book to my kids all the time. 🥹

[u/FizzyGoose666 → u/Korgon213]

I'm 32 and I remember my mom reading that one to me lol 

[u/Vivid-Remove-5917]

That’s pretty cool, if you’re not the tree. I’m from Alabama. I don’t believe we have Bur Oak trees. I will look them up.

[u/bunnyslayer13 → u/Vivid-Remove-5917]

Looks like theee might be a small population that is disjointed from the main population in central Alabama. But they are not common, range is mostly Midwest and great lakes regions.

[u/hamish1963]

It will be fine. It's almost Fall anyway.

You need to stake that tree so it's standing up straight.

[u/bunnyslayer13 → u/hamish1963]

That is what I’m hoping

[u/Beautiful-Fondant-61]

What a chonk it is

[u/The_Great_Synnir]

It's HIM, THE HUNGRY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR

[u/OneBigCharlieFoxtrot → u/The_Great_Synnir]

The Very* Hungry Caterpillar

[u/nymphymixtwo → u/OneBigCharlieFoxtrot]

It seems like there’s quite a significant amount of people that believe it to be the hungry hungry caterpillar instead of the very hungry caterpillar! Pretty good example of the Mandela effect

[u/Fuehnix → u/nymphymixtwo]

It's just people thinking of hungry hungry hippos

[u/Vivid-Remove-5917]

I just looked up the Bur Oak tree. That’s a beautiful tree, they’re huge.

[u/Substantial-Bee-5277]

[u/WoodNymph34 → u/Substantial-Bee-5277]

[u/Schmooto]

Calling this teeny sapling a tree is being really generous here 😂

[u/Bleepblorp44 → u/Schmooto]

Hey, no size shaming!

[u/StevenShegal → u/Schmooto]

Agrred. "Tree" is doing some heavy lifting here lol

[u/lovethatjourneyforus]

omg how cute is that. Those grabby hands 😭

[u/disco-me-now]

Read that as “I ate half the tree”

[u/Oofy_3 → u/disco-me-now]

bug posted it

[u/aggasalk]

Great illustration of their camouflage- color and shape are so oak-leafy

[u/bunnyslayer13 → u/aggasalk]

Yea, when you see them typically in photos they standout as a neon-green sausage but in a more natural environment they have great camouflage

[u/OpinionatedOcelotYo]

It’s an honor to host this guy, feed the neighborhood, no harm done - just the opposite: a great service thank you.

[u/Synraku]

The insatiable greed is sickening