Hickory Horned Devil caterpillar

Description:

The regal moth is a beautiful and fascinating member of our native fauna, and its larvae should not be killed. If a larva is found crawling on pavement or in an area of thick turf grass where it would have difficulty burrowing, it should be moved to an area of soft soil or a mulched area where it can burrow for pupation. Distribution The regal moth is found throughout the deciduous forest areas of the eastern United States from Missouri to Massachusetts and southward to Texas and central Florida. It is more common in the southern part of its distribution.

Habitat:

My friend spotted this on the walking path at Ritter Park. Caused a lot of passers-by to stop & take a pic. (she gave me permission to submit this photo to PN)