What kind of caterpiller is this?
Location: Fort Myers, Florida
March 17, 2012 9:11 pm
Hello This was found in Fort Myers, Florida. not sure what it was on cause we found it after blowing off our patio area. I have been looking everywhere online with no sucess. Hope you may know 🙂 thanks!
Signature: Jennifer
Dear Jennifer,
This is the caterpillar of the Ficus Sphinx, a large moth. It appears to be pre-pupal, meaning it probably left its food plant to search for a place to undergo metamorphosis, usually among leaf litter. According to the Sphingidae of the Americas website: “Females feed and lay eggs on fig leaves, especially Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea). Ficus carica, Ficus microcarpa, Ficus religiosa, Ficus pumila, Ficus gamelleira, Ficus prinoides, Ficus pumila and Artocarpus integrifolia are also listed as hosts.”