Here’s looking at ya – not
August 12, 2009
Brown with a couple of spots but two big spots looks like eyes. Bottom of him is a green color but what is strange is he has one stinger on his behind area. Looks like it could be a caterpillar but just want to make sure and see if he is poisonous.
Tammy
Meraux, Louisiana

Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar

Hi Tammy,
This is a Tersa Sphinx Caterpillar, and we just posted a photo of the adult moth about an hour ago.  You are right about the spots as the caterpillar mimics a larger predator, like a snake, which may help prevent it from being eaten by birds or other predators that mistake it for a bigger potential threat.  The stinger is not a stinger, but a caudal horn.  It is not defensive in any way except visually.

Caterpillar, grey, “one-eye”, snake like
August 3, 2009
We found this caterpillar in the Rouge Valley area of southern Ontario. It is grey, and at the rear end it has a mark that looks like an eye. It raises it’s back end and strikes like a snake. Could you please tell us what type it is, and what it turns into?
R & E
Rouge Park, Toronto, South Eastern Ontario

Abbott's Sphinx Caterpillar

Dear R & E,
Your “one eyed monster” is an Abbott’s Sphinx Caterpillar, Sphecodina abbottii.  There are several different color morphs for the caterpillar that make them look like different species.  You can see these variations on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website.

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Bullseye caterpillar?
July 23, 2009
Hi Lisa Anne and Daniel, even with this caterpillar’s distinctive markings I am unable to identify it. It was found on the grass stem (cannot say it was feeding) on a prickly pear/sagebrush steppe but near a riparian area.
You are my last, best hope for an i.d. and I have unbounded faith in you!
Thanks in advance.
Dwaine
outskirts of Casper, WY

Juanita Sphinx Caterpillar

Hi Dwaine,
We are thrilled to be able to return a favor since you always send us such awesome butterfly images that are already identified.  The markings on your caterpillar are absolutely gorgeous, much like the weaving of a Persian rug.  We quickly identified this Juanita Sphinx Caterpillar, Proserpinus juanita, on Bill Oehlke’s awesome website.  Most Sphinx Caterpillars are characterized by a caudal horn, giving them the name Hornworm, but this species loses its horn on the molt between the forth and fifth instar according to the images posted by Bill.  We are going to copy Bill Oehlke on this reply since your gorgeous caterpillar differs slightly in coloration from the example he has posted.  Bill is also compiling comprehensive data on species distribution.

Juanita Sphinx Caterpillar

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Coneheaded Caterpillar
Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 6:25 AM
Hi there! I found this little caterpillar at Newport News Park in Newport News, Virginia on July 6, 2009… He must have fallen out of a tree as I found him on my shoulder… I’ve searched and searched for an ID on the internet but to no avail – the cone-shaped head seems to be unique as the majority I’ve looked at that come close to the rest of his appearance are round headed… I posted his pic on our newspaper’s website and now have a ton of folks wondering what he is – it was one of them that pointed me your way ;o) Any help you can provided would be greatly appreciated!!
Anna
Newport News, VA

Unknown Caterpillar

Dear Anna,
We have spent well over a fruitless hour trying to identify your caterpillar.  Alas, we have given up and we hope one of our readers will have better luck than we have had.  Our best guess on this is that it is a butterfly caterpillar in the family Nymphalidae, possibly the Subfamily Satyrinae which includes the Wood Nymphs and Satyrs, or perhaps the subfamily Apaturinae, the Emperors.  Our second guess would be that it is some type of Skipper in the family Hesperidae.  Sadly, these families are not really well represented on the internet with regards to caterpillars.

Unidentified Caterpillar

Update:
Sun July 12, 2009
Greetings Anna and Daniel,
While this caterpillar may resemble something in the Satyrinae or Apaturinae, it’s actually a young MOTH.  Please compare your photo to these images of larvae from those two butterfly subfamilies:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trombamarina/218855622/ (Satyrodes sp.)
http://bugguide.net/node/view/231428 (Asterocampa celtis)
Let me send an e-mail to Dave Wagner at the University of Connecticut, who’s the leading authority on US moth caterpillars.
Best wishes,
Keith Wolfe

Update from Keith Wolfe:
Monday, July 13, 2009
Hi Anna,
According to Prof. Dave Wagner, and Ryan’s brief comment, this caterpillar will metamorphose into a Pine Sphinx moth (one of four species in the Lapara genus of the Sphingidae family).  The green and white striping is an effective camouflage apparently shared by a number of butterfly and moth larvae that feed on pine needles.
Best wishes,
Keith

Ed. Note:
We are linking to Bill Oehlke’s posting of a Northern Pine Sphinx, Lapara bombycoides.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Thank you so very much for your time, effort, and energy in searching out the identity of this little guy!!  Please also pass along my thanks to Keith Wolfe, Prof Dave Wagner, and Ryan who spent their time researching this too!  Y’all are just GREAT – I’m going to let our folks on the newspaper website know right this sec and will use the link to your page to share…
THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anna

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