Prepupal Hubbard’s Silkmoth Caterpillar

Subject: What is this bug
Location: Tucson AZ
September 10, 2015 11:59 am
I work at a dog kennel and I have I have found a lot of them out in my dog runs I Just want to make sure they are not poisonous.
Signature: Jonathan

Hubbard's Silkmoth Caterpillar
Hubbard’s Silkmoth Caterpillar

Good morning Jonathan,
This is a pre-pupal caterpillar from a moth in the genus
Sphingicampa, formerly Syssphinx, and we suspect it is most likely a Hubbard’s Silkmoth, Sphingicampa hubbardi, though another species, Sphingicampa raspa, is also found in Arizona.  According to BugGuide, the Hubbard’s Silkmoth:  “Larvae feed on Wright’s acacia, honey mesquite and catclaw acacia.”  They are not poisonous.

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