Big Yellow-Green Crawler with mouse teeth
Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 3:25 PM
I found this crawling down our driveway this morning and the kids and I want to know what it is? We live in North Texas and have some Live Oak trees.
Always Wondering
Dallas, TX area
Polyphemus Caterpillar
Dear Always,
This is a Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar, Antheraea polyphemus, and you may find information on the caterpillar and moth by visiting BugGuide. Giant Silkworm Caterpillars like this are often noticed when they leave trees and search for places to pupate.
2
Two fuzzy caterpillars
Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 9:56 AM
I found this caterpillar on the ground underneath my oak tree. His white fuzz had caught the afternoon sunlight causing him to almost glow! He was making his way across my driveway towards the trunk of said oak tree. I snapped a bunch of pictures hoping to ID him online, but I cant find anything that looks like him. I stuck him on the tree just in case that was his destination (my roommates kill bugs!). And since I just referred to it as a he throughout, can you tell me if caterpillars have genders? The second was found on a weed very near the first one. It looks like a tussock moth caterpillar but I cant find an exact match. Love your site, and thanks in advance!
Dana
Athens, Georgia
Laugher
Hi Dana,
Your white caterpillar with the markings on its head is known as the Laugher, Charadra deridens. You may read about it and see a photo on the Caterpillars of the Eastern Forests website. We believe your Tussock Moth Caterpillar is in the genus Dasychira based on images posted to BugGuide.
Tussock Caterpillar
Is this a Sphynx Moth Caterpiller??
Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Hello Mr Bugman;
First I Love your site, I cannot tell you how many “Bugs” you have helped me identify in my digital adventures. My husband laughs everytime I show him the new picture of an insect and run in to look up what it is on this site. Anyway I came across this Caterpiller and the closest I come to is the Blinded Sphynx Moth caterpiller but I am not sure. He was on a moss covered growth on a dead either Elm or Ash tree in the woods. I live in Southeastern Ohio approx. 45 miles west of Wheeling W.V. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me put a name to him. I hope these photos are clear enough to make a identification. Thank you so much for your site
Debby Hill
Southeast Ohio
Blinded Sphinx Caterpillar
hi Debby,
Since our first response to you, we have continued to research, and we believe you are correct in identifying this as a Blinded Sphinx, Paonias excaecatus. Bill Oehlke’s excellent website does not show this color variation, but it is well documented on BugGuide. We wish your artful photo also depicted the creature’s head.
Cocoon popped up found suddenly
Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 8:24 AM
I was working in my yard and clearing out my shed throwing things away mostly, in a trash can I keep in the backyard. I used the trash can about every 20 mins. One trip to the trash can, there was nothing on the lid of the trash can. On the next trip was this (presumably) cocoon. I lightly touched it and something inside moved once, from left to right. I brought the lid into my garage where I could watch cocoon and protect it from a cold front due in that night.
About 36 hrs later the cocoon (or whatever) moved from it’s original spot and left part of it’s body (?) behind which is shown in the photos.
The insect is about 2 cm long and about 1 cm wide.
Thank you for your time and your website..it’s GREAT
Terry
South Central Texas
Asp freshly molted
Hi Terry,
This is an Asp, a stinging caterpillar of the Puss Moth. It is freshly molted. You are lucky you were not stung as it is reported to be quite painful.
¶ Posted 29 October 2008 § Asps ‡ ° filament bearer caterpillar
Sat, Oct 18, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Hi Buggies,
I love your website. I searched for this species of caterpillar, but couldn’t find it on your site–thought you might like to see this filament bearer, Nemocampa resistaria (according to my Caterpillars of Eastern North America by David L. Wagner, a book no Eastern North American bug lover should be without). I took this photo in my back yard in northwestern New Jersey in early June of 2008. When I saw the caterpillar inching across the picnic table, my first thought was, “There’s no breeze; why is that twig moving?” It does look just like a piece of Virginia Creeper vine, or the wild grape vines that also grow around here.
Enjoy!
Jeannie
Newton, New Jersey
Horned Spanworm
Hi Jeannie,
BugGuide also refers to this interesting inchworm species as the Horned Spanworm. Your wonderful photo with its dramatic shadow is a perfect Halloween image.
Caterpillar Resembles Lizard and Bird Droppings
Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 5:02 PM Dear Bugman,
Love the website. Maybe you can help me indentify these stranger caterpillars I found this morning terrorizing my baby lemon tree. At first, I thought they were lizards, because of the “eyes” on their backs, and noticed they also look like bird poo . The biggest one erected two giant antenae. I captured some of the larger, more aggressive ones and created a little habitat. Any chance they’ll turn into butterflies?
Thanks! -Kyle
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar
Hi Kyle,
This is a Giant Swallowtail Caterpillar and it will metamorphose into a large lovely brown and yellow butterfly.
2
showy fall caterpillar
Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 7:16 AM
Dear Friends:
I found this caterpillar in a typical grassy meadow (perhaps brome grass, Bromus inermis), at the beginning of this month (October 2008). I’m sometimes able to figure out things by searching them on-line but this one stumped me. I don’t often see bright caterpillars this late in the year.
thanks,
Gavin Miller
just north of Toronto, ON
Cattail Caterpillar
Hi Gavin,
We are surprised as how quickly we located your Cattail Caterpillar, Simyra insularis, on BugGuide. Because the caterpillar feeds on cattail, smartweed, grasses, sedges, poplar and willow, the habitat includes marsh edges, wooded riverbanks, and generally any damp area where larval foodplants grow. The adult is also known as Henry’s Marsh Moth.
Wierd Green Slug/Bug/Caterpillar
Tue, Oct 14, 2008 at 8:58 AM
Hi, my son and I recently found this(bug) on the ground outside our house. I tried to look it up online, but found nothing. It is very small and strange looking. It sticks to your finger on the bottom it looks like small hairs almost velco like. When touched it seems to shrink up a very small amount you have to watch it VERY close or it doesn’t even look like it is moving. We call it our alien bug. We brought it inside and put it into our plant container, about 6 hours later it was gone, or so we thought until we found a small brown ball in the corner. When I poked it, it opened up and the bug was inside. I took pictures of it and by morning it was in a ball again. What is this? I am so curious. What is it going to turn into when it emerges?
Renee
Macomb, Michigan
Slug Moth Caterpillar
Hi Renee,
Your caterpillar is one of the Stinging Slug Moth Caterpillars, Isa textula. The adult moth is brown and relatively nondescript. You can see images of both the caterpillar and adult moth on BugGuide.
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