Namibian Arthropods
November 17, 2011
Dear Daniel, Many thanks for your 3 messages and all the details they contain. I’m not e-maiing from Namibia but from the U.K. but the delay in responding is because we don’t have the computer on daily. I’ve attached to this message 2 more photos not for identification as I believe they are of a Death’s Head Hawkmoth Caterpiller but I hoped you might like to see them or use them.
I wonder however if I may submit 2 further pictures for identification, again both taken in Namibia.
Kind regards, Roger.
Deathshead Hawkmoth Caterpillar
Hi Roger,
There are several species called Deathshead Hawkmoths from the genus Atropos, and this is surely one of them, but we haven’t the time to research the species found in Namibia at the moment. If you send additional photos, please use our standard form and please attach only a single species per submission.
Deathshead Hawkmoth Caterpillar
1
Food and Environment for Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar?
November 13, 2011 1:25 pm
Hi!
My husband found one of these crawling the grass at our neighborhood playground in Dallas, TX. We’d love to try and see it through to becoming a moth. What should we provide it for it as far as food, habitat etc? Interestingly enough, a few weeks ago we were given a butterfly habitat(large mesh cylinder with a lid).
Thanks!
Signature: Rachel
Polyphemus Caterpillar from our archives
Dear Rachel,
Your butterfly habitat should do fine. You can also use an old aquarium with a screen top. Chances are quite good that when the Polyphemus Caterpillar left the trees it was feeding upon, “birch, grape, hickory, maple, oak, willow, and members of the rose family” according to BugGuide. The caterpillar will spin a loose cocoon around a large leaf, so provide some old, but not dried leaves on the floor of the habitat for the Polyphemus Caterpillar to spin its cocoon. Here is a nice post from our archives showing stages of Polyphemus metamorphosis.
1
Caterpillar in Malibu, CA
Location: Malibu, CA
November 13, 2011 6:24 pm
Dear Bugman, I found this large caterpillar crawling in my garden. It was not on a plant but I put some clover in a box with it. I’m trying to find out what kind of butterfly or moth it’ll turn in to. Can you identify it?
Thanks!
Signature: Bu Girl
Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar
Dear Bu Girl,
Though your photo does not show the markings on the side of this individual very well, we believe you have photographed the caterpillar of the Achemon Sphinx. Sphinx Moth caterpillars are called Hornworms because they usually have a caudal horn, however, the Achemon Sphinx sheds its caudal horn as a young caterpillar, leaving a caudal spot or “eye” that is barely visible on the right side of your photo. According to the Sphingidae of the Americas website, the caterpillar of the Achemon Sphinx feeds upon: “Grape (Vitis), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and other vines and ivies (Ampelopsis).”
1
What the heck is that?
Location: China
November 9, 2011 6:59 pm
My friend found a ton of these in a tree. WHAT IN THE WORLD?
Signature: -confused
Atlas Moth Caterpillar
Dear -confused,
We believe this is the caterpillar of an Atlas Moth. If the criterion is wing area, the Atlas Moth is the largest moth in the world. The Squidoo website has a nice profile on the Atlas Moth
1
Brazilian bug
Location: Mato Grosso
November 9, 2011 5:24 am
I found this bug on the veranda of my house in Brazil. I live in a town called Chapada dos Guimarães which is supposedly in a transition zone between the Cerrado biome and the Amazon basin biome. On the property there is a patch of gallery forest along a stream and also a patch of former pasture reverting to forest. There is pronounced dry season from June to September. I saw the bug in October after the rains had begun. I was quite surprised when it opened its wings to reveal the gorgeous colors – reminds me a bit of a planthopper Fulgoridae
Could you also identify these large caterpillars that have been browsing recently on a frangipani shrub?
thank you
Signature: Jon Kempsey
Tetrio Sphinx Caterpillars
Dear Jon,
These are the caterpillars of the Tetrio Sphinx moth, a species found in Florida as well as much of the American tropics. They are feeding on a Plumeria or frangipani, one of the known food plants. Your other photos did not attach so we cannot comment on the other creature. In the future, please only include one species per email submission. If you attempt to resubmit the photos, please use the standard submission form that requests information on location.
Thank you for identifying the caterpillars for me – I have frequently seen the moths in my house. I will re-submit the other photos.
best wishes, Jon
1
HUGE … caterpillar??
Location: Phoenix, AZ
November 7, 2011 9:23 pm
This was on the leaves of my Blue Potato Bush in Phoenix, AZ. It’s as thick and as long as my thumb. Can you tell me what it is? I assume it will eat my bush, but that’s nature….I won’t kill it!
Signature: Suzy
Carolina Sphinx Caterpillar
Dear Suzy,
There are two large caterpillars that feed on the leaves of tomato plants and relatives in the nightshade family including potato. We just posted a photo of one species, the Five Spotted Hawkmoth or Tomato Hornworm. You have submitted a photo of the other species, the Carolina Sphinx or Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta.
Thank you so much, you are so quick! I looked it up to see what the caterpillar turns into. Very interesting information. One more question, if you don’t mind. What are the chances I would find that caterpillar in a cocoon and be able to see it emerge? I only have the one plant, so it doesn’t seem to me the caterpillar could go very far – or would want to…..
Suzy
PS I am so thankful for the information I get from ‘What’s that bug’ that I am making a donation. Thank you again!
Hi again Suzy,
This caterpillar does not spin a cocoon. It buries itself in the ground and molts into a naked pupa like this image.
1
Please help identify this caterpillar?
Location: San Antonio, TX
November 7, 2011 10:54 am
What kind of butterfly or moth will this caterpillar become? This well-camouflaged caterpillar is about 5 inches long when extended. It was spotted in my yard in San Antonio, TX on November 6, 2011.
Signature: Diane Duesterhoeft
Five Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar
Hi Diane,
We wish your photo showed a bit more of this impressive caterpillar, one of the Hornworms in the family Sphingidae. We are relatively confident this is an unusual dark color variation on the common Five Spotted Hawkmoth Caterpillar, Manduca quinquemaculatus, a species that feeds on the leaves of tomatoes and related plants. Was there a nearby tomato patch? You can compare your image to a dark individual on the Sphingidae of the Americas website.
Thank you so much for your response, Daniel. There were no tomato plants in the vicinity, but the yellow diagonal marking do seem to be similar.
Diane
The caterpillars of the Five Spotted Hawkmoth will also feed on native plants that are not cultivated, including nightshade and jimson weed. It is also possible that we have incorrectly identified the species, though it appears that the caudal horn is black, another identifying feature.
1
caterpillar ID
Location: MEXICO, YUCATAN, Chichén Itzá
November 7, 2011 8:36 am
Hi bugman, a friend who is staying in the Yucatan, Mexico sent me a picture of a caterpillar he would like IDed for his weekly newsletter, I’ve searched everywhere I can think of for an ID, including your website, but haven’t been able to find not even a clue. He says: ”It’s a hornworm but its horn is just a stub. I suspect it’s been bitten off by something and once was a regular hornworm horn.”
I hope you can help!
Thanks for any you help you can provide!
Signature: Bea
Mexican Caterpillar might be Owlet Caterpillar
Dear Bea,
We disagree that this is a Hornworm. It looks to us like an Owlet Moth Caterpillar in the family Noctuidae and it has markings similar to species in the genus Cuculia known as the Hooded Owlet Moths, many of which are very brightly colored. See BugGuide for some North American examples.
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