Giant Leopard Moth

Description:

from wikipedia: This species has a wingspan of 3 inches (nearly 8 cm). The wings of this moth are bright white with a pattern of neat black blotches, some solid and some hollow. The abdomen is dark blue with orange markings, the male has a narrow yellow line on the sides. Its legs have black and white bands. Adult moths are strictly nocturnal and do not generally fly before nightfall (Fullard & Napoleone 2001). The caterpillar is of the "Woolly Bear" kind, with a thick coat of black bristles (setae) and red or orange colored bands between its segments which become conspicuous when caterpillar rolls into a ball for defense.

Notes:

I found this moth as a caterpillar in my lawn. I brought it to school for my high school biology class to observe. We fed it and watched it spin its cocoon. After it hatched out, I brought it back home and released it near where I found it originally.