Subject: Caterpillar
Location: Trona, CA.
April 4, 2015 5:41 pm
Dear Bugman,
Long time!
Here we have a photo of a specimen we saw out at the Trona Pinnacles, roughly 20 miles east of Ridgecrest, CA. Approximately 2″ long, these critters were everywhere! Is the horn dangerous? What kind of butterfly do they (possibly) evolve into?
Thanks again!
Signature: Tomas Arceo
Dear Tomas,
This is the caterpillar of a Whitelined Sphinx, Hyles lineata, a species that periodically has tremendous population explosions in desert areas that often coincide with years when desert blooms also peak.