What is This Strange Bug Found on an Indiana Man’s Home?

A Strange Sight on an Indiana Wall

When Dave Iplenski stepped out of his Indiana home, he looked up and noticed some kind of creature just hanging out. Dave wasn't sure what it was, so he did what so many other curious folks do - he took a couple of pics and shared them on Facebook, hoping to get an identification.

Facebook's Bug Experts to the Rescue

The place to go for this kind of thing is the All Bugs Go to Kevin Facebook page. That's where folks from all over the country post pictures of creepy crawlies. The comment section for Dave's pictures quickly filled up with a variety of answers - some silly and some right on the money.

Nope, Not a Bat - It's a Bug!

Some of the comments suggested the critter is a "Bat moth" or an "adorable eensy weensy Dracula." Those make sense, because the thing does look like a little bat, doesn't it? It is NOT a bat, though. The strange-looking "thing" on Dave's house was correctly identified as a saddleback caterpillar moth.

Saddleback moths (Acharia stimulea) are most active from late spring through early fall and are more common than you might think in Southern and Central Indiana. They’re usually found near wooded areas, gardens, and yards with plenty of host plants like maples, oaks, and corn. You’re more likely to spot the caterpillar (thanks to its wild appearance), but if you keep an eye out near porch lights or windows at night, the moths might make a cameo.

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Though the adult moth only lives for a week or two, its brief existence is part of the bigger natural cycle. The adult saddleback, like many moths, serves as food for bats, birds, and other nighttime predators.