BIG caterpillar
Location: Accomack County, VA
September 18, 2010 2:36 pm
Saw this big guy crawling up a tree in the woods near our house on the Eastern Shore of Virginia recently, and was wondering what it is. Fully extended, it was 4-5 inches long, and as big around as my thumb. I’ve never seen one close to that size before. Any help on the ID would be appreciated. Thanks.
Signature: Linda C.
Imperial Moth Caterpillar
Hi Linda,
This impressive creature is the caterpillar of the Imperial Moth.
Another mystery solved! Many thanks.
Leaf-type bug
Location: Napanee, Ontario
September 18, 2010 10:09 pm
Found this on a maple tree outside our house. We live in Eastern Ontario.
Signature: Curious about this bug
Monkey Slug
Dear Curious,
This is a Monkey Slug Caterpillar, Phobetron pithecium, and in its adult form it is known as a Hag Moth. BugGuide has this interesting description: “Caterpillar is most frequently seen. Bizarre, brown, hairy creature that resembles some sort of aquatic creature more than a caterpillar. Three pairs of long arms and three pairs of short arms, which are ‘deciduous’ – often one or more is missing.“ Exercise caution when handling the Monkey Slug as it is one of the Stinging Caterpillars in the family Limacodidae.
Caterpillar Southeast Arizona
Location: Southeast Arizona
September 13, 2010 8:56 pm
I found this beautiful caterpillar, about 3 inches long under my bench pillow this morning (I always check under the pillows!) I’ve searched the web extensively and just can’t find out what it is. My habitat – riparian and mesquite.
Signature: Heather Borman
Sweet Potato Hornworm
Hi Heather,
Though Bill Oehlke’s very comprehensive Sphingidae of the Americas website does not have a color match to your specimen, we nonetheless suspected that this was the larva of the Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulata. This highly variable caterpillar is commonly called the Sweet Potato Hornworm, and according to Bill, they “ feed on plants in the Convolvulaceae family, especially Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) and in the Solanaceae family, especially (Datura) (jimsonweed) and related plants in the Americas. “ We did find a color match on BugGuide. We suspect when a species has variably colored caterpillars, it helps certain individuals escape detection from predators, an example of evolution in process. We are copying Bill Oehlke because he may want to ask permission to post your photo on his excellent website as well.
Bill Oehlke confirms ID
Daniel,
I agree that it is Agrius cingulata.
Bill Oehlke
Beautiful bug!! The Datura have been in bloom the last couple of weeks on the property. Yes, feel free to use the photo. A credit would be appreciated. I live in St. David, AZ, near the San Pedro River.
2
caterpillar hissing?
Location: houston, Tx a pocket general house
September 10, 2010 11:35 pm
my mom found this caterpillar while doing my dads laundry what kind is it its all wiggly and naked it seems harmless but they claimed it hissed at her and my sister.
Signature: i dont know
Possibly Walnut Sphinx Caterpillar
This is one of the Sphinx Moth Caterpillars in the family Sphingidae. Your photo does not have enough detail to make a conclusive species identification possible. The backward facing horn and the shape of the head indicate this might be the caterpillar of the Walnut Sphinx, Amorpha juglandis. You can compare your individual to images on BugGuide or Bill Oehlke’s excellent website. Many Sphinx Moth Caterpillars which are known as Hornworms are capable of making hissing noises when disturbed.
is this 2 woolly bears
Location: broadway va
September 9, 2010 1:07 pm
Hello, I have two little ones trying to find out if these two are in the woolly bear family if so could somone please tell me if you know.thanks
Signature: critterlady
Woolly Bears
Dear critterlady,
Caterpillars of Tiger Moths in the family Arctiidae are often called Woolly Bears, and your two caterpillars appear to be Arctiids. The more orange Woolly Bear might be a Salt Marsh Moth Caterpillar (see BugGuide) though they might both be caterpillars of the Virginian Tiger Moth, Spilosoma virginica. Though the caterpillars are variable in coloration, they are known as Yellow Woolly Bears. BugGuide describes them as: “Caterpillars very variable in color – beige/yellow/dark red-brown/black. Body covered in long soft hairs (setae) of variable length – some much longer than the others (more than three body segments in length). Often one long hair in center of each tuft. Spiracles white.“
1
Barbaroja caterpiller, striped, hisses.
Location: El Salvador, near Chalate.
September 8, 2010 4:47 pm
http://monicasohl.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/barba-roja-red-beard/
This is my link to the photo, I am El Salvador, near Chalate, this is a caterpillar that hisses and they call it Barbaroja, I am searching the internet for it´s real name, please can you identify this for me. I am sorry I can´t post the real photo. I am in a public computer. I am linking you to my blog.
Signature: Monica Sohl
Pachylia syces syces Caterpillar
Dear Monica,
Your photo is of terribly low resolution and it is blurry, an at first we thought this might be the caterpillar of a Tetrio Sphinx, but we have found a match to Pachylia syces syces on Bill Oehlke’s website which states: “In the early instars, larvae greatly resemble Pseudosphinx tetrio or a coral snake. They thrash about when disturbed and also ‘squeak’.“ Bill also writes: “Larvae are reported to feed on Ficus microcarpa, Ficus prinoides, Ficus ovalis and Artocarpus integrifolia in Brazil.“ We can assure you that your neighbor Celina is misinformed. You credit her with the following flight of fancy on your blog: “She saw it and gasped. ‘Se pica! Matalo. Matalo!’ She picked up a rock from the back and smashed it. The name of this insect is Barba Roja translates to Red beard? How it stings is it opens its mouth and sticks out its tongue and bites you. The tongue is what pinches you. The venom makes the wound swell up and it will hurt for days. It is worse than getting bitten by a scorpion around here. She was bitten by Barbararoja when she was cutting weeds with her machete.“ There are many caterpillars that sting, but those in the family Sphingidae are not among them.
Thank you. I will correct the info on my blog. I am glad I wrote to you. Everyone has a different story about the Pachylia syces. It did thrash around, and squeaks. Celina told me there are two types, one that doesn´t sting and the other that does. And the way she described how it stings creeped me out. But according to Bill Oehlke´s website it doesn´t seem to sting, I will read it again.But yes that is the caterpillar. Sorry about the poor resolution. -Monica
What is this? Some kind of Slug?
Location: Knoxville TN
September 5, 2010 10:25 pm
Mr. Bugman, during a search for bugs for my 7th graders classification project, I came across this interesting creature. It was munching on the leaves along a tree line adjacent to my lawn. It moves around like some kind of slug, but it’s the wierdest thing I’ve ever seen.
Signature: askeen
Monkey Slug
Dear askeen,
Though it is called a Monkey Slug, your creature is actually a caterpillar. Handle it with care as it is capable of stinging.
what is this catterpillar
Location: leicester england
September 6, 2010 5:33 am
my mum has found two of these in her garden can u tell us what they are?
Signature: lizziep
Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar
Hi lizziep,
We have received several requests to identify the Caterpillar of the Elephant Hawkmoth, Deilephila elpenor, in the past few weeks. According to the UK Moths website: “The English name of this moth is derived from the caterpillar’s fanciful resemblance to an elephant’s trunk” and “It is a common species in most of Britain, including Scotland, where it has increased its range in recent years.”
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