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Lime Green Caterpillars munching on Cassia Tree
Thu, May 7, 2009 at 11:48 AM
I have been trying to identify the lime green caterpillars currently munching on my recently transplanted Cassia Excelsa Tree. I saw the pictures on your site referring to the Cloudless Sulpher caterpillar and how it can be yellow or green depending on it eating the leaves or the flowers of the Cassia but I don’t think they are Cloudless Sulphers.The body structure of the caterpillar pictures I am sending is similar to the Cloudless but the striping on the side is much different. The Cloudless Sulpher appears to have more of a black banding around it. The caterpillars I have look to have a black short stripe sandwiching four longer stripes and then another short stripe. Also the head of the caterpillar is the entirely lime green with no black at all.Thank you for help.
JRS
Tampa Bay Area – Florida

Orange Barred Sulphur Caterpillar

Dear JRS,
Your caterpillar is definitely a Sulphur in the genus Phoebis.  We believe it to be a close relative of the Cloudless Sulphur, the Orange Barred Sulphur, Phoebis philea.  There is a photo posted to BugGuide that looks very similar to your specimen.

Orange Barred Sulphur Caterpillar

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1. Orange-Barred Sulphur Caterpillar (November 26, 2006)
2. Female Orange Sulphur (October 13, 2009)
3. Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillars (or possibly Orange-Barred Sulphur) (November 15, 2006)
4. Cloudless Sulphur Caterpillar (September 21, 2008)
5. Orange Barred Sulphur Caterpillar and Chrysalis (October 23, 2009)