Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth

Subject: bug in Key Largo
Location: Key Largo, Fl. 33037
March 11, 2015 2:18 pm
Dear Mr. Bugman,
I found this bug in my chicken house. Could you please give an ID?
Signature: treelady6

Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth
Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth

Dear treelady6,
This Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth,
Empyreuma pugione, is a very effective wasp mimic.  According to BugGuide:  “The spotted oleander caterpillar is a recent immigrant to the US from the Caribbean, first recorded in Florida in Boca Raton, Palm Beach County, in February 1978.”

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