Subject: caterpillar ID
Geographic location of the bug: St Petersburg FL
Date: 10/27/2018
Time: 02:03 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Hi, I was just hoping you might be able to help me identify this large caterpillar found on my fence this morning
How you want your letter signed: Thanks, NAS
Unknown Hornworm
Dear NAS,
This is a Hornworm, the caterpillar of a Sphinx Moth in the family Sphingidae, but we are uncertain of the species. Though your individual reminds us of the Hornworm of a Ficus Sphinx, it is not one of the typical color variations we see in that species. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to provide a species identification
Unknown Hornworm
Update: November 1, 2018
We received several comments indicating this is a member of the genus Erinnyis, and Cesar Crash provided this BugGuide link to the Alope Sphinx larva.
I like ThisRelated posts:
This is an excellent documentation of a darker variation of an Erinnyis species’ larva with thoracal contraction; maybe E. ello, but there are several other species of this genus in Florida. The appearance of the caterpillar is confusing, as its typical “eyespot” is completely hidden / only visible as a line…
Best wishes and Thanks for sharing!
Bostjan
Thanks for that assistance Bostjan. Though the call out for assistance was general, we were hoping you noticed the posting and could supply an answer.
Here is an image of an Alope Sphinx with the hidden eyespot on BugGuide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/841438
Thanks Cesar. I will update the posting and link to this image.
Looks to me like Erinnyis alope.
Thanks Cesar. Bostjan Dvorak also believes the genus to be Erinnyis.
Yes, I think the species is E. alope indeed. Thank You for the additional comparative photos; the shape of its horn is typical for this species, and thus convincing.
Nice wishes,
Bostjan
Thanks for the confirmation Bostjan.