Beware!

Along the trail on Saturday I spotted this creature. Or is it a creature?

At first I thought, yea, it's a caterpillar.

Then it let lose with a big poop and I knew it was a caterpillar.

Then it started oozing some green gooey stuff dripping from the lower end and I wasn't too sure I wasn't a fool thinking a bit of bird doo was a caterpillar.  

So I picked up a stick and poked it. And this is what it did:

Notice that red forked tongue poking out at me. It's a warning that I'm glad I heeded. The internet is replete with stories of this particular caterpillar stinging innocent people who apparently are sure enough the caterpillar is not a piece of bird doo they touch it.

This ugly guy will be going through metamorphosis to become a beautiful Giant Swallowtail Butterfly; truly an ugly duckling.