Isis has begun the "wandering" phase

One thing I have learned in my watching of my 'pillars is that they begin a "wandering phase" prior to finding their final safe place to make a silk pad and spin off.

Today Isis began that phase.


Wandering around the  netting around the Hotel Luxor Catipillia:

Wandering around the temporary box to hold her while the Hotel Luxor was cleaned:

And last and such a wonderful, amazing thing - around my hand when I went to transfer her back to the Hotel Luxor.     You can handle a caterpillar, but only when they become a substantial size - I work with no less than 1" to be safe.  And you have to be super careful.    Best is to try and use leaves to make moves, transfers.   BUT sometimes it is possible to handle them and understand better how they move.    The first set of 3 feel are essentially claws - pointed.   And the last sets of feet seem to be suckers.   Finally, something else I have learned this year is that the caterpillar will spin silk wherever it is walking or climbing.   I  am of the mind that this is Mother Nature's way of giving them a leg up to stay on any surface they go over (including my hand where they still spin silk as they cross it).