Last September, Portland resident Tiffany Garner and her boyfriend saw two girls walk past their house, pick up something bright green and place it in their yard. Intrigued, Garner went to check out what the girls had found — and was shocked by what she saw.
“From the house, I could see this neon green, giant chubby caterpillar,” Garner told The Dodo.
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The bug was about the length of Garner’s finger and extremely chunky. Even though Garner is a professional gardener who’s encountered many different kinds of insects, she didn’t know what kind of caterpillar she’d found.
“I’m in gardens every single day, and I have never seen a caterpillar that big before in my life,” Garner said.
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Garner let the caterpillar crawl around her porch for a while, then transferred the insect to a planter. With the help of a species identification app, she learned that the caterpillar was a polyphemus moth in the larval stage.
The very next day, when Garner went back into her yard to check on the caterpillar, she found that the little bug was already forming a cocoon. She watched in awe as the larva moved her head back and forth to attach shiny strings to the side of the planter.
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Garner continued checking on the caterpillar as often as she could, and was amazed by how quickly the caterpillar’s cocoon was progressing. Within just a day, the chrysalis had completely changed color and had become as hard as rock to the touch.
“It was really interesting to watch the cocoon go from silky, wiry strands into this concrete, tan-colored [material],” Garner said.
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Garner was eager to see the caterpillar turn into a moth, but based on her research about the species, she knew there was a chance the process would take a long time. When polyphemus caterpillars form their cocoons in the late fall in an area with a cold climate, they will overwinter in their chrysalises and hatch only when the weather warms up.
But as the months ticked by, Garner began to lose hope that the moth would ever emerge. The cocoon sat, unmoving, all the way from September to June.
“I thought, ‘Man, it’s really been a long time. I don’t think it’s coming out of that cocoon,’” Garner said.
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Then, on a warm afternoon, something incredible happened. When Garner got back from work, there was a hole in the cocoon, and she knew the moth had emerged. Garner quickly spotted the winged animal hanging from a storage tub in her yard.
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The moth sat there for a while, adjusting to being out of the cocoon, which gave Garner time to admire her 6-inch wingspan and stunning spotted pattern. Based on the moth’s short antennae, Garner was able to identify the insect as a female.
When the moth was ready, she flew off into the distance. Garner was sad to see her go, but incredibly grateful that she was able to provide a safe place for such a unique animal to spend the winter.
“To see this whole circle of life happen was very fulfilling,” Garner said. “It was extremely satisfying to be able to see from beginning to end. It was just super cool.”
To keep up with Garner, you can keep up with her on Instagram, TikTok and her website. 
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