Unusual creature gives woman a scare

What’s that? Oh my, I have never seen anything like that. What is it really?{{more}}

Those were some of the expressions by persons on Monday, December 5, when Weena Roberts brought an unusual looking caterpillar to SEARCHLIGHT’s office at Lower Kingstown Park.

Three inches long, brown in colour with bold eyes and a head the shape of a Copperhead snake, Roberts said it was the first time she has seen a caterpillar of that type in her lifetime.

“That colour and shape caterpillar is very unusual to me. Growing up, I used to see the brownish coloured ones almost resembling this one, but this one’s head is what stunned me.

“I’m afraid of it,” she said.

The Glen resident explained that she was standing outside her home Monday morning looking around her yard when she saw the caterpillar on a vine in her garden.

“When I saw it, I called a friend to check it out for me because it looked unusual to me. He took the spray can to spray it, but I told him don’t spray it, bring it let me see. When he brought it and I saw it closer, it looked real unusual.

“I went for my camera and took a photo of it. I then told the person to take it off the vine because I was so scared I didn’t want to touch it. For my entire life I have never seen a caterpillar like that,” Roberts added.

Although she was afraid of the creature, Roberts said she just

had to share her discovery with the public.

“I don’t know how I got the courage to hold it in this bottle in my hand and bring it to Kingstown, but I just wanted other people to see it because I have never seen one like that in my entire life.

“I found it on a vine, I don’t know the name of the vine, but as children we used to strip all the leaves off and make skipping rope with it,” she further explained.

The unusual looking caterpillar, which was handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture, is now being studied by the Plant Protection Unit.

Officers there told SEARCHLIGHT that because the caterpillar is in its infant stage, it is hard to determine what type of insect it is.

The official said once the caterpillar reaches the adult stage, they will be able to make a final determination of the strange looking creature that has many wondering “What is that?”