Subject: Hornworm caterpillar
Location: Yuba City, Ca
May 6, 2013 8:33 pm
It is about 3 in long. We found it at my school site walking across the sidewalk. Any help would be appreciated!
Signature: Carrie

Whitelined Sphinx Caterpillar

Dear Carrie,
This is the caterpillar of the Whitelined Sphinx, a common Southern California moth that is found in all 48 lower states.  The caterpillar is highly variable in color and markings.  The Whitelined Sphinx Moths are currently flying in Southern California.  Feed the caterpillar leaves from fuschia or check BugGuide or Sphingidae of the Americas for additional food plants.

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Subject: Worm?
Location: South Africa
April 26, 2013 3:44 am
I found this worm crawling into the house. It’s the second one we have found trying to make it’s way indoors. The first on was yellow and green if I remember correctly.
What is it?
Signature: Don’t understand the question

Hawkmoth Caterpillar:  Coelonia fulvinotata

This is a Hornworm, a caterpillar in the Hawkmoth family Sphingidae.  We believe it is the caterpillar of a Death’s Head Hawkmoth, Acherontia atropos, though this is not the typical color we see for the species.  Typically, the caterpillars of the Death’s Head Hawkmoth are a bright green and yellow color like your email indicates.  According to the Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic:  “Prior to pupation, the fully-grown larva darkens over a period of several hours, during which stage it anoints its whole body with ‘saliva’; this appears to hasten the darkening process. This completed, a suitable location for pupation is sought.”  We are not certain why they are trying to get indoors, but they might be seeking a suitable location to pupate.

Update:  May 5, 2013
We just received a wonderful correction and explanation of why this is actually Coelonia fulvinotata.

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Subject: Caterpillar Identification
Location: Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa
April 20, 2013 1:17 pm
Photo taken by myself approx 3 years ago, of this huge caterpillar, length of 2 x matchboxes placed end to end. Beautiful colors. Found on ground in flower bed, eating leaves. Cannot quite remember the season, but could have been spring or summer as leaves were quite green. It was so beautiful that I placed it on my face book timeline, but was not yet able to identify.
Signature: Leone’ Ferreira

Death’s Head Hornworm

Dear Leone’,
The Death’s Head Hawkmoth is more famous for its imago than its Hornworm, but this is its Hornworm.

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Subject: Caterpillar
Location: Somerset West, Cape Town
April 11, 2013 10:30 pm
Hi – these caterpillars ate a flourishing pot of impatiens overnight last week. They are about five centimetres long, very fat, have two ”eyes” on the front of the head, and a spike at the end of the body. They are greenish-brown coloured. They didn’t react when touched – no curling. Do you know what they are. I’ve never had them in my garden before – not that I have seen. I live in Somerset West, outside Cape Town.
Signature: Christina

Vine Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Christina,
This is a Hornworm, the harmless caterpillar of a Sphinx Moth or Hawkmoth in the family Sphingidae.  We did a web search for South African species and found this posting on Caterpillar Blog identified as Hippotion celerio.  We then searched that name and found a nice posting on Butterfly House that includes stamps with images of the adult moth which is called the Vine Hawkmoth or Gabi Moth.  The Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic also provides some good information.

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Subject: Huge Caterpillar
Location: Haifa, northern coast of Israel
April 12, 2013 4:39 am
I took this photo on 9th April, 2013 in Haifa, Israel in a residential area, just above sea level. It appears to be a caterpillar about six inches (15cm) long and an inch (3cm) wide. It’s lower half and head is an unpleasant shade of yellow, upper half is black, or near black with lots of white dots around the sides. Near the head are two spots which I would describe as looking like the eyes of a peacock tail (blue, greenish, with a black centre.
About 15 years ago I saw something very similar, about a mile away from where this picture was taken, only that caterpillar was much more colourful – same shade of yellow, black stripe down its back, but about five or six large ’peacock eye’ spots along its back. Also six inches long and an inch wide. I have never seen any others aside from these two, and when I asked the neighbours about it, they’d never seen one either. I sent a description of the first one I saw to several insect experts in various parts of the world, no one was able to identify it.
If it is a caterpillar, I’m wondering what sort of enormous, possibly man-eating butterfly it morphs into!
Signature: Kim Levy

Oleander Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Kim,
This is the caterpillar of the Oleander Hawkmoth, Deilephila nerii or Daphnis nerii, and it can be found in many warmer climates where oleander is grown.  The adult Oleander Hawkmoth is a lovely green and pink moth.  Caterpillars often change color and leave the plants they were feeding upon when they are nearing the time to pupate.  You can learn more on the Sphingidae of the Americas website.

Daniel,
Many thanks for your very speedy reply!  I had no idea what Oleander is but when I checked the web page you sent I recognised it. Locally it’s known as cHarduf, the most common shrub in the country, it grows EVERYWHERE!
I was surprised you identified my caterpillar so quickly when experts failed to ID the description of the first one I saw, but to be fair it was a bit different, and I see no others like it on the link you sent, though it’s clearly the same type. I’ve only seen two of these caterpillars in the 25 years I’ve lived here, and what a shame I’ve never seen the moth because it’s absolutely beautiful!

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Subject: Caterpiler
Location: Atibaia Sao Paulo Brasil
March 9, 2013 2:03 pm
Eu moro num sitio em Atibaia ha 9 anos e nunca tinha visto esse tipo de lagarto. E BEM grande!
Gostaria de saber o que e? Que tipo de borboleta vai ser etc..
Muito obrigada pela informacao! Parabens pelo site! adorei.
Abs
Maria Helena
Signature: Maria Helena

Tetrio Sphinx Caterpillar

Dear Maria Helena,
We do not speak Portuguese, and we hope after posting your letter, we will be able to use the translation feature on our website to decipher what you would like to know.  Alas, that did not seem to work since we cannot translate an English site into English, despite part of it being posted in Portuguese.  These are caterpillars of a Tetrio Sphinx, and we especially like the photo of a pair feeding in a plumeria or frangipani tree.

Ed. Note:  Response to our automated response.
Thank you for replying!
If it’s possible to identify the caterpillar it would be great! I understand that it’s not easy with a small group of staff.
Thank you and best regards!
Maria Helena

Tetrio Sphinx Caterpillars in Plumeria

Update:  Translation courtesy of Babylon.
I live on a site in Atibaia for 9 years and had never seen this type of lizard. AND AS WELL great! I would like to know what is? What kind of flap will be etc. Thank you very much for the information! Congratulations on your site! I loved it.

Hello!
I am so sorry! I didn’t know if I should write in Portuguese or English!
Well now I know what these wonderful creatures are!
I am so pleased as I have never seen them before. I thought they were butterflies where in fact they are moths. I live in the middle of a forest and we have one Frangipani tree.
We also have many birds, I am worried that they will be taken by them as they (birds) are quite large. toucans, hawks parrots and parakeets. Is there anything I should do, or just let nature take it’s course?
Anyway, once again thank you so much for replying so quickly!
Best wishes
Maria Helena

According to our friend Julian Donahue, a retired lepidopterist from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, and we are loosely paraphrasing him, the main reason we have bugs is to feed birds.  Letting nature take is course should be just fine unless things are out of balance in your area.

Once again thank you, no all is normal here and I did imagine that I would have to let nature take it’s course.
I hope I will have the chance to see these beautiful creatures when they become moths!
Once again thank you!
Best regards and wishes
Maria Helena

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