Prepupal Blinded Sphinx Caterpillar

Subject: What kind of caterpillar is this?
Location: New Hampshire
September 22, 2012 5:29 pm
I found this is the yard and he isn’t really moving hardly….probably reading to spin a cocoon. Do you know if it will turn into a moth or butterfly? I’m guessing a moth..
Signature: Carol

Blinded Sphinx Caterpillar

Hi Carol,
This looks to us to be the prepupal caterpillar of a Blinded Sphinx,
Paonias excaecata.  We have this image of a pre-pupal Blinded Sphinx Caterpillar in our own archives or you can compare to this image on BugGuide.  Blinded Sphinx Caterpillar pupate naked underground.  They do not spin a cocoon.

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