Unidentified Caterpillar
Hi!
I need help identifying this really neat caterpillar I found here in SW Michigan. It is about 2 1/2 inches long and seems somewhat similair to some larvea of the Antheraea family. I would like to try and raise it and was wondering if it needs to eat now and if so, what should I feed it?
Thanks,
Joanna
Sorry Joanna,
The best we can do is agree it is one of the Giant Silkworm Moth caterpillars, Saturniidae. It somewhat resembles a cecropia moth and it somewhat resembles a cynthia moth, but it doesn’t look exactly like either. We will keep trying to positively identify it.
Is this a picture of a Tomato bug? (The one on the right) We found it in the yard and have not checked if anymore exist in the garden.
Thanks Tina
Your tomatoes are safe Tina,
You have a photo of a Polyphemus Moth caterpillar. Caterpillars eat the leaves of many different trees, including chestnut, elm, hickory, maple, poplar, sycamore, alder, basswood, and beech. Adults, named for the Cyclops because of their eyespots, do not eat.
¶ Posted 07 September 2004 § ‡ ° Name that Bug
Hi! I found your site while web searching for the identity of this little critter. He’s easily 5 inches long and we found him in the back yard in eastern PA near NewHope getting ready for a family picnic. I’ll send you a second picture of the full bug.
We have been waiting for the photos of the Hickory Horned Devils, caterpillars of the Royal Walnut Moth, Citheronia regalis, to arrive. This is America’s largest caterpillar, and although fierce looking, it is harmless. It feeds on the leaves of trees like Walnut, Hickory and Persimmon. In the fall, the caterpillar leaves the tops of the trees and climbs to the ground where it will dig and pupate, emerging as an adult moth in the spring. We hope you are releasing your captive.
¶ Posted 05 September 2004 § ‡ ° What kind is it?
Just wanted to know what kind of caterpillar this is. I live in Harford Co., Maryland. My husband found it on a green Japanese maple tree. It had already eaten a few limbs. Not sure if its a moth or butterfly. Thanks,
Debbie
Hi Debbie,
The spines of the Io Moth, Automeris io, caterpillar are mildly poisonous. It is easily recognized because of the red and white stripes. The adult moths have eyespots on their underwings. They are small Silkworm moths, the male with yellow upper wings and female with brownish upper wings. They are sometimes found on corn and other garden crops.
¶ Posted 05 September 2004 § ‡ ° My son found this near our home in Croydon Pa. What is it?
Your son found a Polyphemus Moth, Antheraea polyphemus, caterpillar.
¶ Posted 08 August 2004 § ‡ ° I found a weird bug today in my dads car
Hello Bugman,
My name is Jimmy, today I found this wierd type of caterpillar my dad thought it was a tomato bug. We didn’t know. We researched your website but we couldn’t find it at all. Can you please help me. I don’t know if it was poisonous or not so i used a kleenex to pic it up and there was this slik like substance behind it when it walked. Can you tell me which is his head and which is his butt?
Thank You
Jimmy Brickner
Strongsville, Ohio
Hi Jimmy,
The reason you could not find your caterpillar on our website is because we only post photos that readers send in. You are the first person to send in a photo of a Cecropia Moth Caterpillar, Samia Cecropia. This is the largest North American Moth, and its wingspan reaches six inches across. It is a member of the Giant Silkworm family Saturnidae, and as adults, the moths do not feed. Your caterpillar looks nearly mature. They eat leaves from cherry , maple, willow and other trees. Try keeping the caterpillar in a well ventilated box with fresh leaves. I am guessing that since it was in your dad’s car, it was looking for a place to pupate. The cocoon is usually spun on a branch. It will overwinter as a cocoon and emerge as a grown moth in the spring. Thank you for the photo. They are not poisonour. The head end has the orange tubercles. In your photo, it is on the left.
¶ Posted 07 August 2004 § ‡ ° we found a hickory horned devil lastnight. of course, we had no idea what it was until i found it on your website. what do we do to watch it’s metamorphisis? i have attached a picture.
christina franz
st. louis mo
Hi Christina,
Amazing, we just posted that photograph yesterday. Often with insects as well as other species, sightings appear in swarms because of the life cycles which in isolated populations are obviously in sync with one another. We have already noted that the Hickory Horned Devil is the common name of the caterpillar of the Royal (or Regal) Walnut Moth, names which reveal two of the food sources. Other leaves fed upon by the caterpillar are butternut, ash, persimmon, sweet gum and sumac. The adult moths have mouth parts but probably do not feed. Pupation occurs in the ground, with no cocoon being formed. It seems that this week, mature caterpillars (in fact an oxymoron since the caterpillar is an immature form) have been dropping from their host trees to the ground where they will burrow. This will unfortunately hide the metamorphosis from view. You can try providing the caterpillar with a box of some sort filled with rich earth from the garden that is not packed too tightly. You might also want to cover the ground with leaves. The caterpillar will then burrow and metamorphose into the naked pupa. You will want to keep the box in a protected place where it will not be too warm, but will also not freeze thoroughly. Unfortunately in a box, this might be difficult. It need the winter coolness, but in the wild, the earth only freezes solid for several inches, and the caterpillar has protection from the killing of the freeze. If you aren’t too squeemish, you can refrigerate the box in your kitchen. Then in the warm days of May, you can bring the box out to warm and hopefully your specimen will have survived, escaped the pupa, dug its way to the surface, and transformed into the beautiful adult moth. Lutz quotes Kellogg’s description of the adult as being “a rich brown groundcolor on bod and hind wings, with the fore wings slaty gray with yellow blotches, and veins broadly marked out in red-brown. If you are successful, please send a photo of the adult.
WOW! THANKS FOR THE QUICK RESPONSE..WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO KEEP IT ALIVE!
¶ Posted 10 September 2003 § ‡ ° I found this bug out in my yard this morning. It was near my tomato plants. It is a very odd looking thing. If you know what it is could you tell me if it is poisonous. It was thrashing around when I tried to pick it up. It reminded me of a snake. I have small dogs and was scared that they may try to eat it. They try to eat grub worms and I am afraid that they will make them sick. Thanks for your time.
Teresa Causey
Chavies, Kentucky
Dear Teresa,
I’m happy your photo arrived. We just received another siting from a young man who found one in his jeep, but there was no photo, only a verbal description. It is a Hicory Horned Devil, the largest North American caterpillar. It is the larva of the Royal (or Regal) Walnut Moth, Citheronia regalis. The forewings of the moth are olive colored with yellow spots and red veins. The hing wings are orange-red potted with yellow and the body is reddish brown with yellow bands. It is a beautiful moth. The caterpillars, though fearful in appearance, are harmless. They feed principally on Hickory, Walnut and Persimmon.
Ed. note: See next letter
¶ Posted 08 September 2003 § ‡ ° 
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