caterpillars!

We have found two very cool-looking critters in the garden this past week including this huge fat green caterpillar, with yellow accented spots, white hairs and yellow horns on each end. I think it's the caterpillar of the imperial moth (they can be green or brown). I've never seen the moth but this caterpillar sure is a handsome fellow!

The other one was a beautiful little chrysalis, I think of the monarch butterfly. I didn't get a picture of because we took it to a friend's house to show his kid and then left it there. But it is such a delicate little thing with a lovely blue-green hue and jeweled with gold spots that have a metallic shine. It really looks like a little piece of jewelry. I wish I had a pic to show you; none of the ones I find online quite do justice to what I saw.