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Hornworm
covered in Brachonid Pupa
(08/30/2006) What is this bug?
Hi,
My wife and I grow tomatoe plants every summer. Today we were
looking for the last few remaining crop when she spotted this.
We live in the Northeastern US (New York State, 45min north
of Manhatten). Do you know what this is? It looks like a caterpillar..
Thanks,
Scott Shapiro
Hi Scott,
This is one of two species of Sphinx Moth in the genus Manduca
that feed on tomato leaves and other related plants. They
are commonly called Tomato Hornworms or Tomato Bugs. It has
been parasitized by Brachonid Wasps and is covered with wasp
pupa. We have never seen a caterpillar parasitized to this
extent. Thanks for your image.
Io Moth Caterpillar
(08/29/2006) Io Moth
Hi Bugman,
We were making fodder shocks with the corn stalks and our
son yells, "OUCH!" His father calls him a wimp and
tells him to stop belling aching. Moments later, Pops yells,
OUCH what the *?@!*# something just stung me!! A closer look
revealled, the Io Moth Catipillar (We identified by your website).
Stephen tells the kids to back away, Don't Touch it! I was
working in the garden with the guys and had to check out this
vicious catipillar that was dropping the guys like flies.
I have to admit what a wild little creature and grabbed the
camera. I would have taken some pictures of the bite marks
and attached- had the camera battery not died right after
this shot. Enjoy,
Stephen, Jen, Jared, and Zach.
Hi All,
What a delightful story of a family bonding chore being interrupted
by a little stinging Io Moth Caterpillar.
Mesquite Moth Caterpillar
(08/28/2006) Hickory Horned Devil Relative?
This roughly two inch bugger was hanging out on a rock under
a mesquite tree in our yard in Tucson, AZ. It was quite regal
with all the shiny silver spots down it's back. I was looking
at the home page and it seems like this guy might be related
to the HHD perhaps? Just ran across your site last week after
my pregnant wife yelled out from our bathroom, "Aaaagh!
Hey get in here! What are these giant sized maggot things
crawling all over the bathroom floor." I'm still not
100% sure if they were hornets or yellow jackets, but had
to remove them. (They were nesting in the bathroom vent ductwork
and the larvae were crawling down the pipe and then falling
from the ceiling.) Keep up the great work! By the by, it'd
be great if there was a way to leverage all the data to create
a self-identification process. I recall from my Microbiology
days constructing decision trees for identifying bacteria
species. Similar idea here for snakes.
http://www.spiritone.com/~brucem/garter.htm
It'd be cool if a user could answer a few rule-based questions
and then get photos and names to compare as "potentials".
Sorry for the detail, just the geek in me thinking too hard.
Cheers,
Timo
Hi Timo,
We needed to research this guy, but we quickly were lead to
a photo of Sphingicampa hubbardi, the Mesquite Moth Caterpillar.
The moth is also known as Hubbard's Silkmoth. The caterpillar
is gorgeous, and it is one of the Saturnidae and the same
subfamily, Citheroniinae, as the Royal Walnut Moth or Hickory
Horned Devil. We did find a website
with some information.
Bagworm
(08/26/2006) Bug Id
Hi,
I found this guy on a tree in my yard yesterday in northern
New Jersey. Can you tell me anything about it? Thanks! Love
your site!
Debie
Hi Debie,
This is the first time we've gotten a good image of the caterpillar
that lives in a "bag" known as a Bagworm.
Parasitized White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar
(08/25/2006) Emailing: catty 002
Hi,
I found this caterpillar on a county road in Colorado, I looked
on the internet but have no idea of its origin, it also has
weird white things that look like eggs on its body and the
caterpillar seems irritated by them. Any help would be appreciated
thanks!
Decklyn
Hi Decklyn,
The caterpillar is a White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar, Hyles
lineata, a common species in the desert as well as the rest
of the U.S. This is a very wide ranging species. It has been
parasitized. Brachonid Wasps are common parasites on Hormworms,
the caterpillars of Sphinx Moths, but the pupa we are used
to seeing on the Tomato Hornworms are much larger than those
depicted in your image.
Hickory Horned Devil
(08/25/2006) caterpillar photos
Hi there fellow bug lover,
Thought you might like these photos that I took yesterday.
I'm a horticulturist at a garden center in Lake Charles, LA.
A customer came in with this wonderful Hickory Horned Devil
specimen to see if we could identify it for her. It had been
devouring her pecan tree. She was pretty concerned because
we had already lost so many large trees last year to Hurricane
Rita. I gave her the link to your website and advised her
to let big ol' "George" free to resume fulfilling
his ravenous appetite...preferably far back in the woods behind
her house. He was really a beauty! Hope you enjoy the photos.
Lu Hoffman
Landscape Maintenance Manager
Greengate Garden Center
Hi Lu,
We have already decided to profile the Hickory Horned Devil
as the Bug of the Month for September.
Bug
of the Month: September 2006
Hickory Horned Devil
(08/24/2006) hickory horned devils
Hi, Daniel and Lisa Anne,
Today at ~ 6:30 PM I took some pictures of the hickory horned
devils (HHDs), three days after the last ones. I acquired
a number of images, and am sending ten of them**. In a few
of these pictures, a katydid (or so it appears) decided to
have a chat with the hickory horned devils, but who knows
what they said to each other. In one picture, I framed all
three at once. They are still 4.5 " long, and it surprises
me that none of the three have been eaten by anything. Here
they are: ... Is it usual to see this many survive to adulthood
from one batch of eggs? All I can say in defense of me sending
y'all this many pictures is that you challenged me to do better!
It would be interesting to me to see which ones you like,
and don't like. I enjoy nature photography and want to do
it better. Best Regards,
Glenn
Hi Again Glenn,
We went for a classic pose that is, in our minds, a definitive
Hickory Horned Devil, Citheronia regalis, image. We are pleased
to use your excellent photograph as the Bug of the Month for
September, the month we get the most letters requesting the
identification of this impressive caterpillar.
Cecrops Eyed Silkmoth
(08/23/2006) Cecropia Moth?
Hello,
My son found this caterpillar. It seems to be that of a Cecropia
Moth, based on a picture at http://www.johncodygallery.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=614.
It was found munching on scrub oak here in northern New Mexico.
It wasn't until after I handled it that I realized I shouldn't
have....
Mike Westfall
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Hi Mike,
When we first received a photo of a Cecrops Eyed Silkmoth
Caterpillar, Automeris cecrops pamina, it took us quite a
bit of time to locate one of the few caterpillar images posted
at that time to verify identification. We thought it must
be in the genus Automeris since it resembled the Io Moth Caterpillar,
another stinging species. The Cecrops Eyed Silkmoth Caterpillar
looks like a stinger as well, and your letter implies as much.
The Cecropia Moth, Hyalophora cecropia, is a different species.
We found images of the adult Cecrops Eyed Silkmoth as well
as the caterpillar on this site.
Pandora
Sphinx Caterpillar: Green Morph
(08/23/2006) +*+*+THANK YOU+*+*+
Hi there~
My two year old & I found this little guy on the driveway
yesterday - she named him 'Togan' and has been pretty insistent
that he is her "friend" - even slept with him last
night (safely in a bug-box of course) ;-) . She is sure that
if he just makes a nice 'crystal bed' (chrysalis) he'll be
a beautiful butterfly someday.... I wondered if you might
be able to help us identify him so that we can get him the
proper host plant... Ella discovered a swallowtail caterpillar
on her 2nd birthday & saw it through to release it as
a butterfly, so she is really quite intrigued by this life
cycle... Any info. you could offer would be wonderful. Thanks
so much~
becky (& ella too!)
We are from Wisconsin
Hi Becky and Ella,
Most Pandora Sphinx Caterpillars, Eumorpha pandorus, we see
are brown, but according to Bill
Oehlke's awesome website, they also come in a green form.
Primary foods are grape and Virginia creeper, though if Togan
left the host plant, chances are good it is getting ready
to pupate. The adult is a moth, not a butterfly.
Wheel Bug feasting on Io Moth Caterpillar
(08/23/2006) wheelbug's big appetite
I found this guy enjoying a meal. I know you have a great
collection of pictures, but I thought you might enjoy this
one. Thank You for a helpful site,
Dustin
Hi Dustin,
What a wonderful Food Chain image of a Wheel Bug sucking the
fluids from an Io Moth Caterpillar. Thanks for sending it
our way.
Hickory Horned Devil: first of the season!!!
(08/21/2006) hickory horned devls
Dear Bugman,
I have three awesome, fearsome-looking hickory horned devils
devouring a small sumac tree on my property. My best friend
in town is actually an honest-to-goodness entomologist, and
he showed me what the adult royal walnut moth looks like too.
It would be a privilege to see the lovely adult morph next
spring. The caterpillars are probably 5 inches long now-I've
been watching them for a week or so now. My kids, and especially
my two girls, think they are the coolest bugs what ever were.
I've attached two pictures of them to this email. Enjoy them
or post them as you see fit.
Cheers,
Glenn A. Marsch
Physics guy, Grove City College
P.S. When do the moths leave the pupa, and is there any way
I might attract the adult moth, or know better how to find
them?
P.S.S. Great website! Thank you!
Hi Glenn,
We are so excited to get the first Hickory Horned Devil photos
of the season. We usually get the final caterpillar instar
images in September when they turn green and leave the trees
to pupate. We have been considering the Hickory Horned Devil
for the bug of the month for September
and would like to request an additional photo once your tenants
turn green. BugGuide
has an excellent documentation of the caterpillar from egg
through several molts. The adults emerge in June and July
judging by the identification requests we receive at that
time. You probably don't have much of a problem attracting
the adult moths since you have caterpillars on your sumac.
Adults do not eat, and the only way to attract them is with
pheromones from the female and with food plants. Thanks again
for the wonderful contribution.
(08/22/2006)
Dear Bugman,
Now you've gone and done it. My scientist mode has kicked
in and I thought I'd take pics of the hickory horned devils
every other day to see how they morph. The caterpillars are
4.5 inches long, not 5.0--I had my daughter Betsy measure
the one stretched lengthwise on the sumac leaf rib ("hickory
horned devil 8-21 B"). They do seem to be greener. They have
moved from leaf to leaf and if they don't pupate for a few
weeks, they might denude the whole branch of that small sumac
sapling. I have noticed that they are frequently found hanging
halfway off the rib of the composite sumac leaf, as you can
see in the second photo, "hickory horned devil 8-21 d." If
it bugs you (pun sorta intended) for me to send you too many
photographs, I'll stop, I promise. I do think these things
are wonderful. We're trying to observe without disturbing
them, which so far seems to be working, because they're getting
as fat as Heimlich in A Bug's Life--we sure aren't putting
them off their feed. Again, feel free to use any of these
photographs. If you do post them on your website, and if you
credit them (I really don't care), could you please credit
them to Steve Jenkins and Glenn Marsch. Steve is the entomologist
at Grove City College who identified them for me. We've had
a great time watching them. Cheers,
Glenn
Hi again Glenn,
Your new photo is gorgeous, and there has been a molt between
now and the previous image. Both of us are photography instructors
and your photos are quite excellent. As we already said, we
are contemplating the Hickory Horned Devil as the Bug of the
Month for September. If you do not get us a better photo,
and we expect you will (we are notorious for pushing our students
to the limits of their potential) then we will use your most
recent photo as the Bug of the Month image, but will need
to edit your letters slightly. Thanks so much
(08/24/2006)
Hi, Daniel and Lisa Anne,
Thanks very much indeed for your kind comments regarding my
photographs. I appreciate you adding one of my photos to your
caterpillar page. I'm not a trained photographer and I don't
have fancy equipment, but I do try to compose my photos as
best I can. Beauty is sometimes a rare thing in this world,
but I try to see it where I can, and even mathematical physicists
use standards of beauty in their theories: a spare, severe
kind of beauty, perhaps, but beauty nonetheless to those trained
to see it. (I'm not a mathematical physicist!) It's raining
here today but I'm going to try to get a few more pictures
of the hickory horned devils this afternoon. I will do my
best to up the ante and take better photos than the last ones!
Monkey
Slug Caterpillar: It Stings!!!
(08/21/2006) Bug ID
My closeup makes it look like it has hair, looking directly
at it though it looks like a leaf. It dropped on our windshield
while parked under some trees. It has a sticky sucking bottom.
We are in Ohio and we drove 15 miles home while it stuck to
the windshield. Thanks for any input, I can't find anything
on the internet.
This is a stinging Monkey Slug Caterpillar, and your photo
of it is awesome.
Stinging
Asp Caterpillar
(08/21/2006) looks like a furry slug
Dear bugman,
I brushed against a tree and realized that there was this
bug on my shirt. I flicked it off, and then discovered that
it had stung my finger. It is about an inch long, brown, and
has orange tufts on its back. Can you tell me what it is?
I live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Attached are 2
pictures of it. Thank You!
The caterpillar of the Southern Flannel Moth, Megalopyge
opercularis, is commonly called the Asp because of its sting.
Polydamus
Swallowtail Caterpillars
(08/20/2006) Unknown Caterpillar
from 2004
Hi Bugman,
I was just looking through you caterpillar page looking for
a pic that may resemble a cat I have in my garden and came
across, a pic you were unable to identify on 7/30/2004 from
Texas. You thought it was a Pipevine Swallowtail, but in fact
it is a Polydamas (Goldrim) Swallowtail Caterpillar. I live
in Texas and have them in my Butterfly Garden. They are very
similar to the Pipevine in that the caterpillers both eat
Aristilochia plant, but Pipevine Swallowtails turn black and
Polydamas, have the horns and are known to be reddish during
later instars, they come in other chocolate like striped colors
also. Hope this Helps!
Kelli
Houston, Texas
Here are some pics of mine:)
 
Hi Kelly,
Thank you so much for setting us straight. We have never seen
images of the Polydamus Swallowtail Caterpillar, Battus polydamus.
Your striped specimens are very distinctive, and quite different
from the late instar red caterpillar we identified as a Pipevine
Swallowtail. We are going to defer to your assessment of our
misidentification, and know that there are several other probable
misidentifications of the same caterpillar elsewhere on our
caterpillar pages.
Stinging Rose Caterpillar
(08/19/2006) catipillar
I found this caterpillar on my redbud tree august 18, 2006
in Callaway county, Missouri while filling my hummingbird
feeders. I didn't think much about it except that I had never
seen one like it before. I forgot all about it and the next
day when I reached for one of my feeders the back of my hand
started stinging. I looked to see what I came into contact
with and there was that same caterpillar. I took some pictures
of it and put it back in the tree.(Away from my feeders).
From what I could find, I think it might be a Stinging Rose
Caterpillar. Am I correct? All the other pictures I have seen
has an orange body. By the way your website is GREAT!.........
Gale Williams
Hi Gale,
You are correct. This is a Stinging Rose Caterpillar, Parasa
indetermina. Bugguide
lists redbud as a host plant as well as apple, cottonwood,
dogwood, hickory, oak, sycamore and the namesake rose. There
is some degree of color variation in the caterpillar. Some
lack orange entirely, some being mostly orange, and some somewhere
in-between like yours.
Saddleback Caterpillar
(08/18/2006) BUG ID
Yes this one stings. Is it a saddleback? doesn't look like
the on on your site. Fairfax VA
Sherley Channing
Hi Sherley,
We believe we have about 10 images of Saddleback Caterpillars
on our site and they look nearly identical to this specimen.
The Cecropia Project
(08/17/2006) I've also attached some pictures of my Cecropia
project. One of the entomologists at the University gave me
some newly hatched caterpillars in June, and I'm going to
try to get them through to moths. I have already 9 cocoons,
with another spinning now and 4 more to go. Anyway, they eat
like crazy. If you look closely, you can see 10 of them in
the picture. I had to put in new branches twice a day, for
a while! I'll send pictures of the moths if they make it that
far. Thanks for a great site! Best wishes--
henry
 
Hi Henry,
Lest our readers strain their eyes, we should state we cropped
your images and some of the individuals are now on the cutting
room floor. We also split your letter apart so the Stink Bug
is on its own page. We look forward to continued documentation
of the Cecropia Project.
Monkey
Slug Caterpillar
(08/15/2006) Monkey Slug Caterpillar?
Greetings Lisa Anne and Daniel,
I just this evening found your website - it's fantastic and
I love it! A couple of years ago, we found a part of one of
these caterpillars on my husband's car windshield and thought
we had entered the Twilight Zone! We live in New Hampshire
(the Mount Washington Valley) and recently found several in
a small maple tree. From research I have been able to do,
I think they are of the family Limacodidae and a relative
of Phobetron hipparchia - maybe Phobetron pithecium? Although
I handled them before I knew anything about them (not always
a wise move and fortunately I suffered no ill effects), you
can see in the second picture that they have stinging spines.
They certainly are beautiful! long -- and in this particular
photo, she is very near to being lifesize. Do you
know who she is exactly? Thanks for enjoying them with me.
Judi Paul
Hi Judi,
Due to time constraints, we are editing your letter and only
posting the image of the Monkey Slug Caterpillar, a stunning
image.
Cecropia
Moth Caterpillar parasitized by possibly Brachonid Wasps
(08/13/2006)
Hi-- just found your gorgeous site. You can bet I'll be a
frequent visitor! We found this fine, fat, fellow at the far
eastern point of the country this weekend, in Pembroke, Maine.
I was just admiring this photo, when I noticed the little
white blobs on the caterpillar's skin. Are these wasp larvae?
Will he die before he can turn into a moth? Also -- I guess
he's a cecropia moth.
Meg in Maine
Hi Meg,
This is a Cecropia Moth, and it does appear as though it is
parasitized, probably by a Brachonid Wasp species. If that
is the case, sadly, the caterpillar will die before reaching
adulthood. The wasp pupa are smaller than we are used to seeing
on Sphingidae Caterpillars, so it might be another species.
Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
(08/12/2006) Weirdest bug ever seen!
Bugman,
We live in the woods near Raleigh, NC and have used your web
site on many occasions to identify the creatures crawling
around our yard. Today we ran in to the strangest creature
that I don't even know if you can identify. I'm not even sure
if it's a caterpillar, slug, or some other bug! As you can
see by the attached picture, it is camouflaged on the top
with a set of faux eyes and its neck forms what looks like
a smiley face. We poked it with a leaf and it is able to turn
and lift its head and stick out an orange forked tongue with
a bead at the end of each fork. It didn't crawl around and
was difficult to push. I am also sending a video of it in
action so you can see the amazing response. Thank you,
Justin & Danielle
Raleigh, NC
Hi Justin and Danielle,
This Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar is probably getting ready
to pupate, so its coloration is changing from green to a purple
brown. The forked tongue you describe is a defense organ known
as the osmeterium that gives of an offensive odor.
Tussock
Moth Caterpillar
(08/11/2006) What is This!
Dear Bugman,
I just heard about your site and it seems to be a perfect
place to receive information on some of the strange creatures
I've discovered around my home. Towards the end of April I
discovered this caterpillar on my deck. It looks like something
from Mars. What kind is it?
Bob High
Charlotte, NC
Hi Bob,
This is one of the Tussock Moth Caterpillars in the genus
Orgyia,
most probably the White Marked Tussock Moth.
Monarch Chrysalis
(08/11/2006) monarch chrysalis
Just wanted to share this good shot of a monarch chrysalis
on our dog pen. We planted annual butterfly weed and have
a bunch of these. We love your site here in West Tennessee.
Rick and Beth
Hi Rick and Beth,
Thanks for your lovely photo of a Monarch Chrysalis.
Prominent Moth Caterpillar: Early Instar
(08/10/2006) Hi!
Hey,
I found this little guy on a trail I walk regularly in Gloucester,
MA. I am a nature enthusiast with a Bachelor of Science in
Biology and have never seen this type of insect before. I
am assuming he is a caterpillar because of the feet, but I
could be wrong. Please help me solve this mystery. Thanks!
Tara A. Talbot
Hi Tara,
When a caterpillar hatches from an egg, it is termed the first
instar. As it grows, it molts and often changes appearance
drastically. Most caterpillars go through about 4 or 5 instars.
This is one of the early instars of a Prominent Moth, probably
the Tentacled Prominent in the genus Cerura. They are also
called Puss Moths.
Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar from the UK
(08/10/2006) Large strange caterpillar
Hi there
I live in the South of England, 30 miles south of London and
found this lone caterpillar (pivc attached) climbing our south
facing outside house wall. Never seen anything like it before.
Any ideas please and suggested action(s). At present we have
placed it in a plastic bag with a cabbage leave!
Kind regards
Ian
Hi Ian,
We are not really sure what sort of action you wish to pursue.
The Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar, Deilephila
elpenor, presents no threat to you, and it will not eat
cabbage. Just because we humans find cabbage to be so very
toothsome does not mean vegetarians worldwide share our fondness
for the leafy vegetable. The Elephant Hawkmoth prefers to
feed on willowherb and bedstraw. It is most likely the caterpillar
is preparing to pupate which is why you found it near the
ground. The common name referring to elephant comes from the
caterpillar which has a trunk-like snout.
Oleander
Hawkmoth Caterpillar
(08/07/2006) Dog-looking caterpiller (Maui, Hawaii)
Ah Ha!
I am on your website now and was wondering if it may be a
type of borer beetle. Very cool! I have a caterpillar photo
to show you as well. I know we have some very large moths
(the size of bats) here and I can only imagine that this could
be from one of those types of species. The caterpillar head/face
looked a little like a dog. This is the only caterpillar like
this that we have ever seen here. It whipped strongly when
nudged so we didn't touch it. Unfortunately it died within
a day of being in the glass jar so we added water to it, agitated
lightly to wash away the small green dotted saliva stuff and
put it on the driveway for better photos.Thanks for having
such a great site! Living in the tropics for all these years
has been easier with your site to help identify all the creatures
we discover!
With aloha,
Michelle
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii
Hi Michelle,
This is the caterpillar of the Oleander Hawkmoth, Deilephila
nerii or Daphnis nerii. The caterpillar looks like it might
be ready to pupate, and perhaps is not really dead.
Imperial
Moth Caterpillar
(08/05/2006) Imperial Moth Caterpillar in Ontario
Hi bugman,
Here is another picture of an imperial moth caterpillar taken
last week in the Killarney provincial park. It seemed to be
in need of cooling as it went halfway into the nearest lake
before it came back to have this picture taken. It's length
was ~2.5". Thanks for your nice collection of pictures
even though the scientist in me is missing some structure
on your site it still was the most helpful site I found in
identifying my 'bug'.
Carsten
Hi Carsten,
The letters on our individual pages are structured chronologically,
and surely that must have some scientific value. We are reminded
of that line in one of our favorite movies, "A Zed and 2 Noughts"
by Peter Greenaway. The two zoologists are visiting the zoo
created by a young girl, and one remarks "Leave it to an innocent
to put a spider and a fly together because they are both brown."
His twin brother responds that "You can probably learn more
about their behavior that way." At any rate, we are artists,
not scientists and we love your Imperial Moth Caterpillar
image.
Cecropia Moth Caterpillar
(08/05/2006) What kind of bug is this
I'm from Ontario, Canada. My son was walking along the grass
when he found this caterpillar. We have no idea what kind
it is. Wondering if anyone can put a name on it for us. Thank
you
Erin & Graham
Hi Eric and Graham,
This is a Cecropia Moth Caterpillar, one of the Giant Silk
Moths or Saturnid Moths.
Mystery Striped
Caterpillar Aggregation from Chacchoben
(08/04/2006) strange caterpillars
I realize you are super busy and you may not get to my request.
I recently found your site and its terrific. I am a high school
Biology teacher and plan to use the website somehow during
the year! Now, to my request: I just returned from a vacation
in the Caribbean and Mexico. While visiting the Mayan ruins
at Chacchoben in the Yucatan, I noticed this cluster of caterpillars.
We were on a tour and couldn't linger but I managed to snap
the attached picture. I pride myself in being able to find
anything on the Internet, but alas I have been unable to identify
these strange creatures. I have also consulted several books
on the subject and have come up dry. I am starting to think
they aren't even caterpillars. Can you help? Thanks,
Sarah S.
Bakersfield CA
Hi Sarah,
How can we help but to try to come to the assistance of someone
who uses the word "Alas" in a plea? First, there isn't much
documentation of rain forest species. Even if the adult is
known to science, the life cycle might not be documented.
Our first inclination was that perhaps this is some relative
of the Tetrio Sphinx, Pseudosphinx tetrio, but we couldn't
locate any relatives. The red terminal pro-legs and coloration
led us on that tract. Then we thought there was a resemblance
to the Cucullia species caterpillars we know from the U.S.
Those are our two best guesses. We will post your image in
the hopes that readers out there have too much time on their
hands and are able to find an answer. Please let us know if
you find the answer.
Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar
(08/02/2006) caterpiller
Hello,
We found the little guy munching on a grape vine in Western
South Dakota. its about 3 inches long and was found on august
1. I have more pictures of it if you would like them. Thanks,
Mike
Hi Mike,
We got a few photos of the Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar in the
past few days, and your is by far the best.
Mystery Caterpillar
(08/01/2006) American Copper Underwing?
Greetings from the "other" coast!
Hi Bug Man! We loooooove your site! Can you help with this
one? My cat found this fellow in our yard today and my wife
thinks it might be an American Copper Underwing caterpillar.
We have scanned through all the pages in your web site but
couldn't find this one. Our reference books don't have very
many caterpillar pictures so we're not sure what it could
be. I know you're swamped with inquiries right now so we'll
understand if it takes a while before we see a response. Keep
up the amazing job with the web site! Cheers! Greg and Lori
Ferens
Ingonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Hi Greg and Lori,
We found images of the Copper Underwing Caterpillar, Amphipyra
pyramidoides, on BugGuide,
and that is not your species. For now, this will remain a
mystery caterpillar on our site and hopefully someone will
recognize it.
Sycamore Moth Caterpillar from UK
(08/01/2006) Strange Orange Caterpillar
Dear Bugman!
This little beastie was found at work in Thame in Oxfordshire.
I was wondering what species it was so I could go back to
my colleagues with a suitably impressive answer See what you
think and if you get a chance, let me know. Kindest Regards
Tom Sherifi
Hi Tom,
While web searching to identify your Punk Rock Caterpillar,
we found a great UK
Caterpillar site that lead us to the Sycamore
Moth, Acronicta aceris.
Hickory Horned Devil
(07/31/2006) I love your site and the Hickory Horned Devil
Dear Bugman...
A fellow insect enthusist friend of mine sent me your site
and I just love it! I photograph critters in my yard all the
time. Some furry, some scaled, most are insects. Most of the
time I can figure out what they are. Sometime I can't. Now
I know where to check! I am in love with the giant silkmoths
of the night. Some years back I came across a Hickory Horned
Devil for the first time, who had quite an adventure with
me. I made a webpage about my HHD and thought you'd really
like to see it. I'd love for you to share it with your readers
to learn more about the HHD and the Royal Walnut/Regal Moth.
http://critters.gato-ranch.com/hhd.html
I get messages every year around late Summer/early Fall from
all over the country from people that found one. I'm especially
excited when children email me to thank me for my webpage's
info on the HHD. I've had many children use my page for reports
in class. I think it is very important to edcate the importance
of insects at a young age. Too often, innocent creatures are
killed because of ingnorance. Which leads me to my appreciation
for your "Unnecessary Carnage" section. Thank you
for infoming people that killing insects is completely unnecessary
much of the time. I frequently will grab a roach or even a
wasp from indoors with my bare hands and put it outside. Oh,
I'll be sending you photos for your "Bug Love" section
at some point too. Thanks again for what you do...
Jana Miller - The Nature Coast, Florida
Hi Jana,
Thank you for your sweet letter. We will post a link to your
site. We have gotten so many photos of Royal Walnut Moths
this summer, including a mating pair, so we expect it to also
be a very good year for siting the Hickory Horned Devil.
Morning
Cloak Caterpillar
(07/31/2006) unknown caterpillar - Junonia?
Thanks for your great website. A neighbor found six of these
caterpillars on the sidewalk (Carlsbad, CA; July 30; we had
some unusual rainy weather the previous night). Based on what
we've found on the web, it appears like it might be in the
Junonia genus. We'd welcome a positive id for this. Whenever
we find caterpillars, we let our kids observe them and see
if they form a chrysalis. We'd also like to know what to feed
them. We tried basil and parsley, but they are not eating.
Also, what kind of environment do they prefer for pupating?
Thanks
Mike & Sue
Hi Mike and Sue,
This is a Morning Cloak Caterpillar. They feed on willow,
poplar and elm and are also reported on Floss Silk Trees.
If they were found on the sidewalk, they may have been wandering
in search of a good place to pupate. The hanging pupa are
often found on the sides of buildings. We have seen many adults
this year near our Mt. Washington, Los Angeles office.
Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar
(07/30/2006) Large Caterpillar on our grapevine
Hello Bugman.
My daughter found this large Caterpillar, munching the leaves
on our grapevine, at the side of the house. We live in Southern
California. We believe it is a species of Hawk Moth; however
we are struggling to find the correct ID within our insect
book. It has a 'false' eye on it's tail end. Please help us
with our mystery. Thanks.
Stuart Manser
Trabuco Canyon, CA
Hi Stuart,
The Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar does feed on grape leaves.
Luna Moth Caterpillar ready to Pupate
(07/29/2006) Can you help ID this bug please?
Hi! Love your site with all of the information and pictures!
Hope you can help us! We found this large caterpillar in our
mid-Michigan driveway on July 27, 2006. It was 3-4 inches
long with pinkish body and a green head. It had short, fairly
sparse hairs on its upper body. The closest guess I could
make was a Luna Moth because of the size and the green head,
but all of the pictures I've seen of Luna Moth caterpillars
show them being a definite green color. We'd like to know
more about this caterpillar - what it turns into, what it
eats, etc. My daughter would love to raise something like
this in her bug house, but I didn't want her to keep this
one as we didn't know much about it. Thanks so much for any
help.
Dottie
Hi Dottie,
We are nearly certain, based on an image found on BugGuide,
that this is a Luna Moth Caterpillar. Its size, pink coloration
(they are normally green) and presence away from the food
plant, all suggest it is ready to pupate. It will spin a silken
cocoon incorporating a leaf and then remain until the beautiful
green moth emerges.
Tobacco
Hornnworm on Deadly Nightshade
(07/28/2006) what is this bug?
Hi,
I was weeding my garden today and came across this huge guy!
What is it and is it a moth or a butterfly? My kids are so
curious! Thank you :)
Kelly Dean
Hi Kelly,
Just today, we received the following letter that set us straight.
Seems we haven't really distinguished between two larvae,
both commonly found on tomato plants, that Grandma always
called "Tomato Bugs." Your caterpillar is a Tobacco Hornworm.
the difference between Tobacco Hornworms and Tomato
Hornworms
(07/28/2006)Tobacco and Tomato Hornworms
Hi.
You have Manduca sexta and Manduca quinquemaculata both identified
as tomato hornworms. I think sexta is the tobacco hornworm;
it has seven stripes that are diagonal when viewed from the
side, and the "horn" is usually red. Quinquemaculata, the
tomato hornworm, has eight markings which, when viewed from
the side, look like chevrons pointing towards the head, and
the horn is usually black. The pictures on your site are of
the tobacco hornworm, which seems to be far more common in
gardens; people often ID them as the tomato hornworm because
they are eating their tomato plants. The adult tomato hornworm
is the 5-spotted hawk moth and the adult tobacco hornworm
is the Carolina sphinx moth. I have a tobacco hornworm the
size of my thumb in a jar, and its poops are big as rabbits'.
Deadly Nightshade
(08/02/2006) Hi bugman,
I am a professional horticulturist and love your wonderful
website! I wanted to let Kelly Dean know that the plant her
tobacco hornworm is on in the picture is clearly a deadly
nightshade. This beautiful vining plant in the tobacco/tomato
family has pretty purple flowers and bright red berries which
appeal to children. It is a very poisonous plant! Especially
since she has kids in the garden, I would recommend she move
the hornworm to a tomato or pepper plant for her kids to study,
and get rid of that deadly nightshade. Better safe than sorry!
Thanks,
Jenn McCracken
Bucks County, PA
Hooded
Owlet Moth Caterpillar
(07/26/2006) caterpillar
Hello,
I have looked at all your caterpillar pages on your wonderful
and informative site and have yet to come across this one,
which I found early in July munching away on daisy fleabane
at our cottage near Peterborough, Ontario. Do you have any
idea what it is? Thank your your time.
Sytske
Hi Sytske,
This is one of the Hooded Owlet Moth Caterpillars. The species
is Cucullia speyeri which does feed on fleabane. We found
a match on BugGuide.
Anise
Swallowtail Caterpillar
(07/23/2006) What is our bug?
We found this guy munching on our parsley, Just wondering
what he is?? Thanks,
Ashleigh and Christian
Hermosa Beach, Ca
Hi Ashleigh and Christian,
This Anise Swallowtail Caterpillar will metamorphose into
a beautiful large black butterfly with tails and yellow spots.
Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar in the clutches of a potential
murderess!!!!!!!!
No, Just a Prankster!!!
(07/23/2006) pictures for id
Here is a bunch of pictures of the same caterpillar I found
on a path near Snow on the mountain and woodbine. Is it a
pandora sphinx caterpillar? Should I let it live?
Tara
Tara,
Why do you want to kill the Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar? Was
the path in your garden or a public park? Most public parks
have laws about destroying wildlife. Your letter has filled
us with anxiety.
I put it back near the woodbine and saw it about 1/2 hour
later on a different part of the path going in the opposite
direction toward my backyard. This was early this morning,
haven't seen it since but I am pretty sure it is alive and
well. It absolutely freaked me out and made me feel a bit
nauseated but be calm and sleep well...it didn't meet it's
maker at my hands. My woodbine needs trimming back anyway.
Unfortunately it didn't stay there. It seemed either headed
to the apple tree or my primrose and columbines. Does it like
hostas? If it does like hostas, it's destiny, if I ever seen
it again, may change. Thanks for identifying it.
Tara
Hi again Tara,
We beg you to reconsider. We just posted a photo of a beautiful
adult moth and they help pollinate your garden.
Thanks for your humor, I am just teasing, it won't die by
my hands and I warned my neighbor not to squash it. The adult
moth is neat looking. I looked it up and found some data from
ND about being beneficial. I'm in Rapid City, SD, lived here
8 years and never seen anything like it on the woodbine before.
What's the art project? Are you collecting the photos or just
weird human responses? I enjoyed the unnecessary carnage link.
Tara
The art project deals with interaction (much like this
exchange) and about global community. The world wide web brings
people together, and we don't just mean online dating, in
ways that were never possible before.
Banded Sphinx: Caterpillar and Moth
(07/20/2006) Eumorpha fasciata?
Wonderful website... was able to id (I think) the adult Eumorpha
fasciata from links provided by your site and in the process
began to see larva pix. Got to thinking about some pix I took
a year ago of a critter feeding on Ludwigia sp. and I do believe
they are the same species. The larva was found at my Dad's
home in Mims, FL on 061305 & the adult was found at my
home (on the carport at night) in Lake Kissimmee State Park
in Lake Wales, FL on 071406. Can you confirm my ID and please
share the photo's as I did not see this species on your site?
Thanks much-
Katrina
Holten, Lake Wales, FL
 
Hi Katrina,
You are correct with your identification. We have photos of
both adult and larval forms of the Banded Sphinx, Eumorpha
fasciatus, but we have three sphinx moth pages and six caterpillar
pages to look through. Your letter is the first with both
stages sent together.
Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar
(07/19/2006) what's this bug?
Hi,
Your website is great! I've been able to find everything I
was trying to look up, except one bug, which I need some help
with. I found these little guys while walking in a partially
wooded area near Boone, NC. The first one we found was in
the stick and leaf debris, and then we found a second one
hanging onto a large rock. They were about 1.5 - 2 inches
long. Any ideas?
thanks!
Jackie
Hi Jackie,
This is a Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar, and its osmeterium,
a Y-shaped retractile organ that emits a foul odor, is showing.
Banded Sphinx Caterpillar
(07/15/2006) Beautiful caterpillar
We came across this caterpillar while doing some yard work
around our pond in Tampa, Florida. My 6-year-old son loves
your web site, so he was very excited about sending his first
picture in to have a bug identified. Your help will be appreciated!
Cheers,
J & L
Hi J & L,
This is a The Banded Sphinx Moth, Eumorpha fasciatus fasciatus.
This caterpillar has highly variable coloration, and yours
is one of the reddest we have seen. The caterpillar also feeds
on a variety of plants. Bill
Oehlke, in his wonderful site devoted to Sphinx Moths,
lists the following food plants: " Seasonvine/Possum grape,
Hybrid fuchsia, Upright Primrose Willow, Yerba de jicotea,
Anglestem primrose willow, Mexican primrose-willow, Peruvian
Primrose-willow, Red ludwigia, Sweetbay magnolia/Swamp magnolia,
Virginia creeper, and Grape"
Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar
(07/12/2006) What's this caterpillar?
Hi
A friend gave me your link, and I've looked but can't find
this caterpillar. Can you help? We have TONS of Luna Moths,
and I'm wondering if this is a caterpillar to a Luna Moth.
The first time I saw them, they were about as big around as
a pencil and only 2" long. Now they are over 4"
long and as big around as a magic marker. Please email back
and let me know what it is, and if I should be concerned.
They sure are going to town eating my Lobelia!! Here is a
close up it let me take. Camera was only a couple inches from
it, as I wanted to get it's "face" in the picture.
Are those
teeth?? Have a wonderful day!
Pamela Graham
Hi Pamela,
We believe this is a Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar. They do
not have teeth.
Leafy Spurge Hawkmoth
(07/10/2006) Caterpillar or Larvae?
Hi there,
We found this insect eating on a Leafy Spurge plant. It is
about 3 inches long. Is it a Bedstraw Hawkmoth Larvae? I looked
it up on the net but the colors didn't quite match. Thanks
for your help.
Mina Sanden
Craik, Sask.
Hi Mina,
This is a close relative of the Bedstraw Hawkmoth, the Leafy
Spurge Hawkmoth, Hyles euphorbiae.
Puss
Moth Caterpillar
(07/04/2006) Strange caterpillar found in Bristol, England
Can you please help me to identify a strange looking caterpillar
found climbing on our outside wall. We don't ever see caterpillars
anymore,( not like when I was a child) especially not one
this big! I would appreciate your help.
Thank you
Kelly Milsom
Hi Kelly,
Your the moth that metemorphoses from your caterpillar, Cerura
vinula, goes by the inglorious common name Puss Moth. We have
located a website
that shows the complete metamorphosis. Further research on
the name was found on the UK
Moth Website and Puss refers not to the oozing fluid from
a sore, but rather it is "Named after the cat-like appearance
of the adult moth, this species is fairly common throughout
most of Britain. The striking caterpillar feeds on aspen (Populus
tremula) as well as poplar (Populus spp.) and willow (Salix
spp.). When disturbed, it raises its head and waves the twin
tails, which have pinkish extendable flagellae. The adult
flies from May to July, and frequently comes to light." The
moth is in the family Notodontidae.
Abbotts Sphinx Caterpillar
(07/03/2006) mystery pillar
Can anyone help ? What will this guy become ?
Thanx Lyn
Hi Lyn,
We crave information, like location and food plants. This
is an Abbotts Sphinx Caterpillar, Sphecodina abbottii. It
is relatively unique among the sphinxes since it looses its
caudal horn, and the remaining "scar" looks like an eye, which
probably frightens predators like birds.
Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar
(06/29/2006) Can you please identify this caterpillar (with
picture)
Howdy,
I live in Suwannee County, FL and found this little critter
out and about near the front porch this morning. My best guess
is that it's a Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar, however I am most
often mistaken as opposed to correct with these assumptions.
Would you mind helping me properly identify this caterpillar?
As a note, when my dog tried to sniff at it, two spots on
it's head around the vicinity of it's eyes bulged out big
round bright orange spots about the size of two small drops
of water. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the caterpillar to
do it's performance for the camera. Also, I tried looking
up this caterpillar in your archives, but many of the pictures
wouldn't load.
Thanks for your time,
Joe
Hi Joe,
What an awesome photo of a Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar.
The orange horns that appeared are a defense mechanism known
as the osmeterium that produce a scent found offensive by
predators.
White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar: Black Morph
(06/28/2006) caterpiller ID
The attached caterpiller was found in the Mojave desert in
April 2003. I think it was about 3" long. Can you identify
it?
Elise Ciraolo
Hi Elise,
This looks like a White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar, Hyles lineata.
The caterpillar is highly variable in color and yours is the
black morph.
Mourning Cloak Caterpillar
(06/24/2006) I know you are busy, take a look if you can
Hi guys, attached is a photo of a caterpillar I'm trying to
ID. I posted it on bug guide too. I also am sending over some
other photos I took and posted on bug guide and you can use
them onb your site too if you want to. Today I learned on
your site the things I was calling silverfish were actually
house centipedes and they eat other bugs in the house. Cool.
I also read they can produce a painful bite. Not cool. Generally
speaking, I'm not a bug killer (we have a "backyard safari"
bug vacuum) and all tresspassers are released. Since I'm a
high school teacher I always make it a point to set an example
when we have a bug intruder in our classroom and make sure
it is tossed out the window. Is there a way to post pics to
the site like bug guide or do people just mail them to you?
Dear Unknown Teacher,
Since we are control freaks about the aesthetics of our site,
we do not allow visitors to post. Imagine what we might find?
We do not want Jenna to appear on our homepage one day. This
is a Mourning Cloak Caterpillar.
Tawny Emperor
(06/24/2006) Tawny Emperor - the end of the saga
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel,
After a longer break, I want to keep my promise and send the
last pictures of the Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) to
you. They were a bit difficult to take, because the pharate
pupal stage always appeared early in the morning. The pupa
is a female, while the butterfly on the pictures is a male.
I want to add a little story here: In the beginning of June
I went at night with a flashlight into the forest nearby my
house and checked on approximately 10 trees for Asterocampa
caterpillars. I found nearly 200 caterpillars in total of
both species (celtis and clyton), sitting and eating on the
underside of hackberry leafes. It was just amazing how many
they were. If you try to find the sister species (Apatura
iris or Apatura ilia) in Europe, you can consider yourself
lucky to find one caterpillar in a year. OK, have a great
time, and I will keep you updated when I breed new exciting
species.
Best wishes,
Thomas
Thomas Werner, PhD
Madison, WI
 
Hi again Thomas,
Thank you so much for completing the saga of the Tawny Emperor.
We eagerly await next spring to see what new species you will
send our way.
White
lined Sphinx Caterpillar eating Fuschia
(06/23/2006) caterpillar needs identifying
Please please would you identify this caterpillar for me,
I thought perhaps it was a swallowtail but cannot find anything
that fits the markings. It was on my fuschias last summer
in my garden on Vancouver Island. I have surfed and surfed!
What a wonderful website.
Diane Sandland
Hi Diane,
Before we even opened your attached photo, we had guessed
correctly that your caterpillar was a White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar,
Hyles lineata. The tip-off was the host plant Fuschia. This
is a highly variable caterpillar that has at least three recognized
color variations.
Mourning Cloak Caterpillar
(06/20/2006) Black caterpillar with barbed spines & red
dots on its back
Dear BugMan,
Your site is FABUOLOS! I found this caterpillar in my backyard
the other evening and took these pictures of it. I then proceeded
to neglect my family because I spent a few hours browsing
your site trying to identify it – I’m not a bug
lover but I’m not a bug hater, either! Cool bugs are
cool bugs and thank you for having so many bugs, cool &
not so cool on your site! The closest I could find was the
Pipevine Swallowtail Caterpillar. I do have a couple of Dutchmen’s
Pipe vines so I was hopeful. Upon closer examination, it’s
really only close, no cigar! The spines are barbed and I hope
you can see from these pics that the spots are on the top
of the body.. maybe I have a baby – still hopeful! The
three caterpillars I’ve seen range in size from 1”
to 1 1⁄2”. We live on Long Island, NY. I’ve
seen 3 of these critters – never on any thing that they
might eat – crawling across the patio, for example.
Also not on or near my Dutchmen’s Pipe vines. The pictures
I’m sending were taken of the caterpillar resting on
a dead stick, also not near the Dutchmen’s pipe or near
any other plants; the stick was on top of some rocks. Thank
you for help with identifying this caterpillar and thank you
for having such a fantastic website!
Patsy
L.I. NY
Hi Patsy,
This is a Mourning Cloak Caterpillar, which will become a
beautiful dark butterfly with cream colored wing edges and
blue spots. As the butterfly hibernates as an adult, it is
often the first butterfly seen in the spring. The caterpillar
feeds on the leaves of willow, elm and poplar.
Lophocampa Tiger Moth Caterpillar
(06/19/2006) What's THIS Bug
Hi Bug Experts,
I work for a nature center just south of Durango Colorado,
in pinyon-juniper habitat and river bottom. We sit at about
6,100 ft in elevation. It's pretty dry if you are not right
in the river bottom. This caterpillar, photo attached, was
EVERYWHERE this spring from about mid April to mid May. We
would literally go on nature walks with kids and have them
keep track of how many they saw. The numbers were often between
30-50 in a short walk. The caterpillar, on close observation,
was eating the yellow clover growing at the nature center
(legume specialist?) in and around the sage (not right in
the river bottom). Full size caterpillars were about 1 3/4
to 2 inches long. No distinguishing marks other than black
with yellow spines. We don't have a field guide detailed enough
to figure it out (Insects of North America is way to broad,
and butterfly web sites don't have enough pic's of caterpillars).
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Jennifer Kleffner
Lead Naturalist/Community Resources Coordinator
Durango Nature Studies
Durango CO
The spring caterpillar is the tiger moth, Lophocampa ingens.
This is one of the few caterpillars that can remain active
throughout the winter, feeding on pinyon (sometimes other
pines) when days are warm enough. They usually make conspicuous
webs in the pines. Can't say about the other caterpillar.
Beats me. Probably something in the subfamily Arctiidae, based
on its hairiness. However, it may be a Sonoran tent caterpillar,
if it is feeding on oak.
Whitney Cranshaw
Hi Jennifer and Whitney,
It seems Jennifer wrote to us both and Whitney got the answer
first. We will still be posting your letter and identification.
Your second photo is rather blurry and not easily identifiable.
Unknown Spiny Amazonian Caterpillar
(06/17/2006) amazon caterpillar
Hi:
I stumbled on your web site while trying to find this caterpillar.
It was in a jungle village in Northern Brazil, I took it for
a venomous species and the locals said it can even be deadly
(but they sometimes have exaggerated notions about the local
fauna). Can you identify it and tell me anthing about it?
Thank you,
Brent Gregory
Castanhal, Pará, Brasil
Hi Brent,
We don't know what species this Caterpillar is, but we do
know that similar looking caterpillars often have poison spines.
They aren't deadly, but can cause a painful or irritating
sting. It is a gorgeous specimen and we hope someone can identify
it.
Update (06/19/2006)
Hi folks,
Though I too don't know what this caterpillar is, I thought
I'd add that yeah, some caterpillars are deadly to the touch.
Kirby Wolfe's excellent website [amazing images of Saturnids
worldwide!] includes Lonomia achelous, which is both camouflaged
and lethal. Have a look at http://www.insectcompany.com/silkmoth/kwlachelous.htm.
The caterpillar of Another genus, Dirphia, supposedly, can
drive the victim mad with pain; I know that that sounds like
comic-book talk, but there might be something to it. I learned
about it on this forum thread http://www.insectnet.com/dcforum/DCForumID1/717.html
and they referred to these images of Dirpia: http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/dblinks/cklistcat.lasso?herbsp=Dirphia
David Gracer
Thanks for the fascinating information David.
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