Flying insect that just hatched from a cocoon
Location: Florida
April 3, 2011 4:12 pm
Hi Bugman,
I just discovered an insect hatched from a cocoon on my porch. Unfortunately, it’s a screened porch so I am unsure how it got in in the first place and it’s now trapped in there as there is no door to leave (second floor porch.) So, I’m anxious to know what it is, to know if it’s safe to remove it by moving it myself. The bug is located in Florida, the season is spring. It’s about an inch and a half long. I have included a photo of the insect and it’s cocoon. Thanks for reading!
Signature: Mary
Hi Mary,
You probably have an oleander plant growing near your porch because this wasp mimic is a Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth, Empyreuma affinis, a species believed to have been introduced to Florida from the Caribbean region. Its caterpillar, like many caterpillars, travels from the food plant when searching for a place to pupate. There is a comprehensive description of the Spotted Oleander Caterpillar Moth on the University of Florida Featured Creatures section.