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caterpillar
Found this fine fellow today in Alamo, Tn. We don’t see a similar one on your GREAT site so please identify.
Beth and Rick
Hi Beth and Rick,
This is a Snowberry Clearwing Caterpillar, Hemaris diffinis. We got two images in a row, the other from Virginia. That one was a burgundy pink color, the color they turn just before pupating.
what’s this?
We discovered this caterpillar on our 4 o’clocks about a week ago and they have stripped the foliage. We have had those flowers for four summers and have never seen these caterpillars. Can you identify them for us? We live in Fallon, Nevada
Carleen Tucker
Hi Carleen,
We believe this to be a color variation of the highly variable Striped Morning Sphinx Caterpillar, Hyles lineata.
black horned caterpillar
Hi there,
I ran across this crazy looking specimen today fly- fishing in south-western Alberta on the HIGHWOOD river. It was approximately 2.5 inches long. I thought it was weird that it was sunning itself on a rock a couple of feet from the river. I saw on the site that another person encountered one in British Columbia, but you couldn’t identify it. Have you had any luck since?
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks to your letter we did more research and turned to Bill Oehlke’s site. We located what we are 99% sure is your caterpillar, the Bedstraw Hawkmoth. Caterpillars are very variable in coloration. The Bedstraw Hawkmoth or Gallium Sphinx, Sphinx gallii ranges throughout Canada as well as much of Europe. Oehlke writes: “Larvae, which were smooth, shiny, and predominantly black, grew extremely rapidly. They reminded me of warm, black licorice strips in that they were shiny, long and thin, and did not seem to have or exercise much longitudinal muscle strength. “
Caterpillar Invasion
Hi Bugman – You have a great site! I noticed that a tree in my yard was being defoliated – at first I thought it was just some deer munching their way through to the rest of the “salad bar” my gardens provide. However, on closer inspection, I discovered the tree has at least 75-100 of these caterpillars happily munching away. Any idea as to what they could be? The are smooth, with a single “horn” above their posterior and a dark black/blue body with the yellow colorations down their sides. They range in size from about 1.5 to 3 inches long. Thanks for any help you can provide. I live in central NJ, 10 minutes from the ocean. The caterpillars are munching on a catalpa tree, which is about two years old and approximately 15′ tall. The tree was a “gift” from either the winds or birds and was quite happy in its location – which has butterfly bush, milkweed, assorted wildflowers and hummingbird vine. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Regards, Anne
Bingo Anne,
Thank you for writing back with the host plant. Often the host plant is a critical bit of information in caterpillar identification. This is a Catalpa Sphinx, Ceratomia catalpae. Here is a site with a wealth of information. Huge infestations often occur and the tree can be severly defoliated.
Large awesome caterpillar
Hey Bugman!
Can you help in the identification of this huge caterpillar? We found them last Saturday on a plant at the edge of our large pond. They have since (3 of them) completely depleted the leaves of the plant. The nearest plant of the same sort is located 20’ away from where they are. There was also some sort of large green shimmery caterpillar on there as well, but we could not find it Tuesday. I collected them and have been feeding them from the other plant. I have included a picture of the plant, we do not know what it is either(it grows wild around the pond). They have become so large (nearly 4”) they were weighing down the plant to the waters edge, where they will most likely become bass food.. Any help you can give would be appreciated. Do they burrow under ground, if so we will need to put them on the other plant. Your site is fantastic. Thanks for your help!!
Ruby
Hi Ruby,
You didn’t need to look any further than our homepage to find another image of a Banded Sphinx, Eumorpha fasciata. It feeds on Ludwigia, the water primrose.
Caterpillar
Dear Bugman,,
I’m a wildlife photographer from Alberta. Canada….and I came across this beautifully colored caterpillar….but for some reason I cannot seem to ID it.even with the help of guide books and the use of the internet on butterflies and moth caterpillar species..!! Can you help…..see attached image for reference ! Much Thanks..
Regards,
Brian Wolitski
www.bmwphoto.com
Hi Brian,
This is one color variation of a Leafy Spurge Hawkmoth, Hyles euphorbiae. Bill Oehlke has some great information on his site. The moth was introduced from Europe as a biological control for the weed Leafy Spurge. The moth has been released in Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Ontario and Alberta where it is thriving and eating leafy spurge.
What’s this?
Dear Bugman,
What is this pretty thing? He and his buddies spend every summer decimating my Virginia creeper vines, and I spend the summer relocating them to wild grapevines. I’d love to know what he is, and what he becomes. By the way, I LOVE your website – this is the first time I’ve ever spent more than a few minutes prowling around a website! It’s absolutely great.
Patricia
Hi Patricia,
Your Pandora Sphinx, Eumorpha pandorus, will do considerably more growing before pupating underground and emerging as a lovely olive and pale green moth with pink and lavendar markings. Use our search engine to locate pages with additional photos of caterpillars and adult moths.
Dear Daniel, Thanks for the quick answer! The Pandora Sphinx moth on your website is quite lovely, and I’m pleased to know that they’ve been happy with the wild grapevines. Also, my husband and I were thrilled to read that you and your group live peacefully with the black widow spiders; we’ve always tried to do that, too, although everyone else seems to think we’re nuts. Three cheers for you and your fantastic web site! Patricia
WHats this Caterpillar???
I am sure you get lots of these. I am a park ranger and have no idea what species this is. It has a slight horn on its tail. Any response would be helpful. Your website is an AWESOME resource for us! Thanks for all the hard work!!!
Ranger Jay
Saluda Shoals Park
Columbia SC
Hi Ranger Jay,
We just love helping the rangers, especially those that go the extra mile to try to get things identified for the curious public. This is a Banded Sphinx Caterpillar, Eumorpha fasciata. It feeds on Ludwigia, the water primrose. The coloration of the caterpillar is highly variable.
Hey bugman, I live in Southern Georgia and my cat brought this to me from my flowers! What kind of caterpillar is this? It is devouring my pentas. Thanks,
Marcy
Hi Marcy,
The Tersa Sphinx, Xylophanes tersa, is commonly found on Penta. There is both a green and brown form to this caterpillar.
big fat larva thing 
hi there,
can you help us identify this larva/caterpillar thing we found in our garden? we live in northern ontario (canada), and our cat found it near our lilac bushes. it measures approx. 3 inches when stretched out. it is *lightning* fast, i never would have imagined something so fat moving that fast. if you poke it it thrashes very aggressively. what purpose does the ‘horn’ serve? we showed it to a neighbor who is an avid gardener and were told they would eat our tomato plants if we didnt get rid of them. thanks in advance for any info you can give us, cheers,
gabriel & rio
Hi Gabriel and Rio,
You caterpillar is not a Tomato Hornworm, but a close relative, the Laurel Sphinx, Sphinx kalmiae, which is easily distinguished from other Sphinx or Hawkmoth caterpillars known as Hornworms because of its black and blue mottled horn. It feeds on laurels, ashes, lilacs, privets; also reported from poplars. It will not eat tomatoes.
Braconid Wasp cocoons on caterpillar
I never would have know what this was if I hadn’t seen it on your site yesterday! I found this poor guy on my tomato plant, he is still alive but not for long. What does he turn into? I read that this is good because him and his friends would eat my tomato plants and some gardeners purposely release braconid wasps into their garden to control these caterpillars naturally.
Steve
Thanks for the image Steve,
Adults of Manduca sexta are large mottled brown moths with yellow spots on the abdomen. We have one pictured on our Hawkmoth page.
very big caterpillar
Hi,
We found this bug in our back yard in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Can you tell us what it is? Will it be a moth? It was the biggest caterpillar we had ever seen!! It was at least 3 inches long and quite sturdy. Thanks,
Melanie Stevenson
Hi Melanie,
This is a Four Horned Sphinx or Elm Sphinx caterpillar, Ceratomia amyntor. There is a brown form which we recently posted as well as the green form you have sent in.
