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Two Achemon Sphinx Caterpillars and a Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth Caterpillar

caterpillar ID
Location: Jemez Springs NM; Near Los Alamos New Mexico
September 3, 2011 5:53 pm
Hey, we found three caterpillars we haven’t seen before. 2 we found on our homeschool fieldtrip to the Jemez mountains NM, right by the hotsprings near Jemez Springs, 36 Miles west of Los Alamos. The green one is 3+ inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. It’s green with a ”spraypaintish looking”, reddish spot on top from head to tail.It has one yellow and black ”eye” on the rear end. White parallel streaks on the side.
We call the other one a ”snowflake caterpillar” because it’s spiky hair has a delicate snowflake like top. The two spikes in the front are a little bit higher then the rest. My kids say it stings.
The orange one is from our own frontyard in Taos NM. We never saw one like it before. It has a ”stinger” in the front, and two painted on eyes. It has white slashes on the side.
What are they???
Jenny, River (9), and Jordan (4)
ShineOnBeyond – homeschool
Signature: ShineOnBeyond Homeschool

achemon cat jenny 300x169 Two Achemon Sphinx Caterpillars and a Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth Caterpillar

Pre-pupal Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar

Dear Jenny, River, Jordan and the rest of the ShineOnBeyond Homeschool students,
Two of your caterpillars are the same species.   The green caterpillar is a pre-pupal Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar.  See this image on BugGuide for comparison.  There are several different color variations on this species, and the pink blush at the top of the green caterpillar is, we believe, an indication that the caterpillar is preparing to pupate.  Many species change color just prior to pupation.  The orange caterpillar is an earlier instar or stage of the same species, the Achemon Sphinx.  See this image on BugGuide for comparison.  When the caterpillar molts between the fourth and fifth or final instar, the caudal horn is lost, leaving a caudal bump that resembles an eye.

achemon cat jenny 2 300x188 Two Achemon Sphinx Caterpillars and a Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth Caterpillar

Achemon Sphinx Caterpillar (third or fourth instar)

The remaining caterpillar is one of the Giant Silkmoths in the genus Automeris, and we believe it is the Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth, Automeris zephyria.  We believe this is also an earlier instar, and most images online of the caterpillar of the Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth are of the fifth and final instar.  This BugGuide image shows several caterpillars with the markings represented on your individual.  We found a very close visual match on the members only World’s Largest Saturniidae website, but nonmembers cannot view the image.

automeris zephyria cat jenny 300x174 Two Achemon Sphinx Caterpillars and a Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth Caterpillar

Zephyr Eyed Silkmoth Caterpillar

Dear Bug guy,
Thanks so much – you have just made it to the top of our list of favorite resources. Keep up the amazing work, you rock!!!!
ShineOnBeyond

 

Posted 04 September 2011 § Hornworms § Silkworms ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Slug Moth Caterpillar, but which one???

Beautiful Caterpillar
Location: North Carolina
September 3, 2011 11:03 am
I found this beautiful white caterpillar last night while looking for Monkey Slug Caterpillars. I looked around on the internet ,with no luck. I hope you can help our family ID. Thanks for the help with the Spun Glass caterpillar. My two sons liked seeing our photo on your great site.
Signature: Rick Thompson

slug caterpillar mystery rick 300x214 Slug Moth Caterpillar, but which one???

Slug Moth Caterpillar

Hi Rick,
Other than to say that we are nearly certain that is is another Slug Moth Caterpillar in the family Limacodidae, we cannot provide anything definitive, but we have a wild theory.  If you had only provide the front view, we would have most likely stated that this was another Spun Glass Caterpillar because the similarity is so striking, however, the lateral view is quite different.  Our wild theory is based on another letter that was submitted and the theory that was developed: “Speculation over there is that, like you said, it’s not a spun glass slug caterpillar, but it may be just part of one. Maybe a bird got one and shook it at the tentacle floated down and still had some reflex action that made it appear alive.”  Your lateral view appears to be a naked Spun Glass Caterpillar that has lost its appendages.  Many Caterpillars change appearance just prior to pupation.  Some change colors and others lose hairs.  Our new theory is that perhaps this is a Spun Glass Caterpillar, Isochaetes beutenmuelleri, and that it is getting ready to metamorphose.  The appendages might have begun falling off the caterpillar.  That certainly lends credibility that the mystery object in that other letter was a shed Spun Glass Caterpillar tentacle or appendage.  We welcome our readerships comments on this theory.

slug caterpillar mystery rick 2 300x184 Slug Moth Caterpillar, but which one???

Perhaps a molting Spun Glass Caterpillar

Posted 03 September 2011 § Stinging Slug Caterpillars ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged:

Stinging Slug Caterpillar

Aqua/Black Caterpillar
Location: Walhalla, MI
August 25, 2011 11:40 am
I can’t seem to find this little guy on-line anywhere. He is about an inch long and was close to a tree with moss similar in color.
We were camping in Walhalla, MI. That is close to Ludington, MI. It was the 19th of August 2011. Any leads would be fantastic!
Signature: Edelynn

euclea edelynn 300x273 Stinging Slug Caterpillar

Stinging Slug Caterpillar

Hi Edelynn,
According to BugGuide, this is a Stinging Slug Caterpillar in the genus Euclea, and it might be a Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar, Euclea delphinii, a species reported to be quite variable.  Caterpillars in the family Limacodidae often have stinging spines and they should be handled with caution.

Posted 26 August 2011 § Stinging Slug Caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Bee Assassin eats Hornworm

Good bug / Bad bug?
Location: West Tennessee
August 24, 2011 8:16 pm
Wondering what bug this is that is sucking the life out of this tomato horn worm?
Signature: tn_wildflower

bee assassin 239x300 Bee Assassin eats Hornworm

Bee Assassin eats Hornworm

Dear tn_wildflower,
It is nice to see that though it is called a Bee Assassin, Apiomerus crassipes, one of the Assassin Bugs, does not subsist solely on bees.  This is a very nice food chain image.  See BugGuide for some comparison photos.

Posted 25 August 2011 § Assassin Bugs § Hornworms ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged:

Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 – 11:30 AM

August 23, 2011
Join us Sunday August 28 at 9:30 at the Red Barn in Elyria Canyon Park.
Read more about the Mt Washington Beautification Committee

Each month, on the fourth Sunday of the month, the Mt Washington Beautification Committee, co-hosted by Clare Marter Kenyon and Daniel Marlos, meets at 9:30 AM near the Red Barn in Elyria Canyon State Park.  Clare takes the lead with native plant germination in the nursery and Daniel goes out weeding in areas that need special attention.  This month the weeds that we will target are invasive Conyza and an unidentified yellow thistle type plant.  Daniel is especially concerned about invasive weeds crowding out the native milkweed.  Elizabeth is seen pulling weeds from around the milkweed. 

Elizabeth Weeds 20110731 web1 242x300 Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 11:30 AM
                            CLICK TO ENLARGEElyria Canyon Work Party August 28, 2011

There is a wealth of insect life on the milkweed.  Daniel saw two Monarch caterpillars of approximately the same age.  They were on two different plants about ten feet apart.

monarch cat elyria 20110731 web 300x206 Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 11:30 AM
Monarch Caterpillar 20110731 AM

Two different caterpillars were photographed in the morning, but in the afternoon, only the one feeding on the leaves was photographed.  The other Monarch Caterpillar was feeding on blossoms.  The detail that is missing from the live experience in the static photo is the twitching of the front fleshy pseudo-antennae.

monarch cat 20110731 pm 300x206 Weeding Party in Elyria Canyon Park Sunday 9:30 11:30 AM
Monarch Caterpillar 20110731 PM

Posted 24 August 2011 § brush footed butterfly caterpillars ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged: ,

Possibly a Spun Glass Caterpillar Tentacle: This is not an Insect, and it is most definitely not a Spun Glass Caterpillar

What is this?
Location: Kentucky
August 22, 2011 6:11 am
This floated down to a picnic area, seems to have 4 legs, it turned it’s head so we know it was alive. Not sure if is bug or vertabrate creature. An adelgid maybe? But only appers to have 4 legs.
Signature: Curious in Maine

other kentucky 300x225 Possibly a Spun Glass Caterpillar Tentacle: This is not an Insect, and it is most definitely not a Spun Glass Caterpillar

What's That Thing?

Dear Curious in Maine,
We are curious what you were doing in Kentucky.  We are not sure what this is, but we feel greatly confident that this is not an insect, nor do we believe it is an animal.  It is most definitely NOT a Spun Glass Caterpillar.

My friend and her family were picnic-ing in a park. This creature floated down and she got it on her finger. It was definitely alive because it turned it’s head.  I will  ask if she got any other photos of it.
THANKS

Update:  September 2, 2011
We have a new theory based in part on the comment we received: “Speculation over there is that, like you said, it’s not a spun glass slug caterpillar, but it may be just part of one. Maybe a bird got one and shook it at the tentacle floated down and still had some reflex action that made it appear alive.”  A new letter we just received that appears to be a Spun Glass Caterpillar that is losing its appendages or tentacles has made the comment we received seem correct.  We would amend the theory to allow for the possibility that Spun Glass Caterpillars might shed their tentacles just prior to pupation. 

Posted 24 August 2011 § Other § Stinging Slug Caterpillars ‡ Comments (4) ° Tagged:

Snowberry Clearwing Caterpillar

Unknown Caterpillar
Location: York, Pennsylvania USA
August 22, 2011 6:21 pm
Hi, I have a smooth green caterpillar we found near our stream. It is pale gray on the back, lime green on the sides with black dots and white halos around the dots. It has a yellow ring around its head and rear end. It had a black ”tail” with a yellow base. We looked in 3 books but couldn’t find it. Any help would be appreciated.
Signature: Mercy

snowberry clearwing cat mercy 300x200 Snowberry Clearwing Caterpillar

Snowberry Clearwing Caterpillar

Hi Mercy,
This is the caterpillar of a Snowberry Clearwing or Bumblebee Moth, Hemaris diffinis.  The adults are diurnal sphinx moths that are often mistaken for hummingbirds.  You may read more about this species on The Sphingidae of the Americas website. 

Daniel,
Thank you so much for your ID and your information. I really appreciate it! -Mercy Harris

Posted 23 August 2011 § Hornworms ‡ Comments (0) °

Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Fuzzy caterpillars on my milkweed?
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
August 22, 2011 4:25 pm
Hi! I let some volunteer milkweeds grow in my gardens this year in hopes they’d attract a monarch caterpillar or two.
Last night I was practicing my photography skills in my backyard and thought I might just check to see if I had any little monarch friends and found these fellas instead.
I was hoping you let me know what I’m raising in my yard. I surfed through your butterfly and moth caterpillar pics and didn’t see these.
Thanks!
Signature: Heidi

milkweed tiger moth cat heidi 300x197 Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Hi Heidi,
Monarchs are not the only insects with caterpillars that feed on milkweed.  Several moths including the Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillar or Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillar, Euchaetes egle, also feed on milkweed.  You can see additional photos on this species on BugGuide.

Posted 23 August 2011 § Tussock Moth Caterpillars § Woolly Bears ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

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