Green Caterpillar
January 10, 2010
Please can you identify this caterpillar. It was found on a yellow jasmine in early January in North Cyprus. (The coin in the pictures is a Turkish 1 lira coin about the size of a two euro coin. many thanks
Geoff
North Cyprus

Death's Head Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Hi Geoff,
This is the caterpillar of Acherontia atropos, the Death’s Head Hawkmoth that gets its common name from the pattern on the thorax of the adult moth.  That pattern resembles a skull, and the insect was used on the movie poster for the movie Silence of the Lambs.  Here is a link to a website with additional information.

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caterpillars found on gardenias in cairns
December 19, 2009
Dear Bugman, I am wondering if this is the bee hawkmoth I saw on your website from another lady. Our caterpillars are a little different colour wise to the picture on your website. They have a bluse stripe on their back, red and black dots above he leg pairs, and fine yellow and red stripes down the sides. They are bright green with a large spike at the back. They are (so far) up to 5cm long.
Leith B
Cairns,Australia

Bee Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Dear Leith,
The Bee Hawkmoths in the genus Cephonodes are represented by at least four species in Australia that are listed on the Moths of Australia Website, and from what we have researched, they all feed on gardenia.  The caterpillars are somewhat variable, and though they resemble your specimen, none are an exact match.  Our first choice is  Cephonodes hylas, the Coffee Hawkmoth, which can be found on the Moths of Australia website, and the caterpillar is pictured on a stamp.  The Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic website has images of the caterpillars that look very similar to your photo.  The caterpillars of the Gardenia Bee Hawk, Cephonodes kingii, are quite colorful as pictured on the Moths of Australia website.  We cannot locate an image of the caterpillar of Cephonodes picus, but it is described on the Moths of Australia website as “These caterpillars are usually green, with pale lines along the back and each side.”

Dear Daniel, many thanks for that. We agree it looks like cephonodes hylas. It’s nice to know what it is going to turn into!
Kind Regads, Leith Banney and John EVans, Cairns.

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black caterpillar with yellow stripes and red ends (Brazil)
November 6, 2009
Hello!
I spotted this huge caterpillar here in Rio de Janeiro and now I wonder what it is, and if it will turn into some beautiful butterfly one day! Can you help me? Thank you!
Anne
Brazil, Rio de Janeiro

Tetrio Sphinx Caterpillar

Hi Anne,
This gorgeous caterpillar is a Tetrio Sphinx, Pseudosphinx tetrio.  It feeds on Plumeria.  It is primarily a Caribbean and South American species, but it is also found in Florida and  other southern states.  You may read more about the Tetrio Sphinx on Bill Oehlke’s excellent website.

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Caterpillar, unknown species
November 1, 2009
We found this very large beautiful orange and blue caterpillar on the ground (dirt) next a wood pile in deep south Texas on November, 1. Weather is clear and temperature is about 70 degrees. Can you tell us if this becoimes a moth and if so what type? There are very large brown moths in this area this time of the year. We no nothing of their species, etc.
Floyd Woods
Mission, TX

Ficus Sphinx Caterpillar

Hi Floyd,
This is the caterpillar of the Fig Sphinx, Pachylia ficus.  We suspect there is a fig tree nearby and that the Fig Sphinx Caterpillar has spent the season feeding on the leaves, unnoticed.  It has left the tree to burrow underground where it will pupate.  The adult moths are streamlined creatures with olive brown upper wings and striped underwings.  You can see images of the adult moth on Bill Oehlke’s wonderful website.  We love the photo showing the tiny horn.  Sphinx Caterpillars are often called Hornworms, and the Ficus Sphinx has a tiny horn as the family characteristic goes.

Ficus Sphinx Caterpillar

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