I would like to provide you with decent photos of the “Hickory Horned Devil”
I thought you may like a nice shot of this little critter (well, since its the largest in America, he’s not so little)
Anyway, Thanks for the info, you guys are how I found out what this guy was!! Please, if you can, reply so I will know where to go see my pics, if you use them!! Thanks again!br> Tasha L. Holden
Powder Springs, GA
Hi Tasha,
When we first post letters, on an average of 4 per day, they go to our homepage at www.whatsthatbug.com and afterwards, they are added to the extensive archive devoted to more specific pages. You will continue to find your letter and image on Caterpillars 7.
Caterpillars
My name is Jessica Mangus. I am attaching some pictures of some very interesting caterpillars we found in our morning glories. As you can see, they are quite large (4″ to 5″ long) and very oddly colored. The horn you see is on the back end. I have attempted to find them on several web sites and have had no luck. They are completely destroying my morning glories, but, before exterminating them, I wanted to know what they are. It may be better to relocate them, or possibly even sacrifice my flowers. If you can be of any assistance, please contact me as soon as possible. Thank you.
Jessica Mangus
Odessa, Texas
Hi Jessica,
Your caterpillars with metamorphose into the lovely Pink Spotted Hawkmoth, Agrius cingulatus. This is the brown form of the caterpillar. More information can be found on Bill Oehlke’s excellent website.
Brown Bug
Hi,
We found this bug outside of the Boys and Girls Club in Kelowna British Columbia. The kids want to know what it is – perhaps a Tersa Sphinx? Thanks a bunch!
Heather Painchaud
Hi Heather,
This is a Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar.
cecropia moth caterpillar
Dear Lisa Anne and Daniel,
About a week after my hickory horned devils left my sumac tree, I found three cecropia moth caterpillars on an apple tree sapling. I managed to snap a few pictures of them, as well as that of a large praying mantis; my entomologist friend in town said this was probably a representative of an introduced species. I found the cecropias as cool as the hickory horned devils. I’ve never seen so many bizarre and beautiful caterpillars in my life. Best Regards,
Glenn
Hi Again Glenn,
Thanks for sending in your Cecropia Caterpillar photo. We have gotten many photos of them this year.
Beautiful Caterpillar
Bugman:
We are living in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. We found this caterpillar in our yard. Some of the locals say that if you are bit by it, you will be down with a fever for several days. One of the coolest features is the visible pulsing of fluid down the black line along its back. Any clues as to what it is or will become? Thanks. My 6 year old son, Eli, will appreciate your response. The yogurt container in the photo is a quart size and the caterpillar is probably 7 or 8 cm long.
Don
Hi Don,
This is the second Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar sent to us from Mexico today. The locals are wrong, though this caterpillar does have an interesting defense mechanism besides the protective markings which mimic a snake. Swallowtail Caterpillars possess an osmetrium, an orange forked scent organ that remains hidden until the caterpillar is provoked.
a Mexican caterpillar
Hello from England.
This caterpillar was walking along the pavement outside Chapultepec park in Mexico City on 16th July 2006. Maybe it was looking for somewhere to pupate. It was about as big as my thumb (21⁄2 inches) and reminded me of the elephant hawkmoth caterpillar that we get in the UK. It had false eyes and raised the front of its body in an attempt to look fierce. Can you help?
Best Wishes
Phil Pemberton
Hi Phil,
This is a Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar, and judging by the orange color, we agree it is getting ready to pupate. The caterpillars are green for most of their life, often turning orange or brown just before metamorphosis.
Snake Eyes and Forked Tongue
We discovered about ten caterpillars on our lemon tree in Texas. They resemble a small snakes head (false eyes) like some Swallow Tails. When touched…surprise two small bright orange appendages flick out; looks just like a snake’s forked tongue. Any ideas? Now that I’ve found your wonderful site, I’ll get some pictures. One is already in the pupae stage. Here are a couple photos. They are only about 1 1⁄2 inches in length. Chrysalis photo to follow; it’s night here now, so I’ll wait until tomorrow. Little buggers are wreaking havoc on my lemon tree:-). Also, do you have any tips on relocating the pupae? I want to move it to a container in order to observe it when it emerges. Thank you for your time.
Keith L. Wagoner
Commander, U.S. Navy
Hi Commander Keith,
This is an Orange Dog, the caterpillar of the beautiful Giant Swallowtail. Many people, us included, think they resemble bird droppings. The orange scent organ is the osmetrium. Try pruning the branch away from the tree to relocate the chrysalis. Thw Swallowtails create a silken girdle for the pupa so that it is upright. Removing the chrysalis without the branch could damage the creature.
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