What kind of caterpillar??
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My niece's found this huge caterpillar in their driveway......it's big and fleshy, has some spikes and a bit of hair......greenish in color on the bottom half and a mulberry coloration on the top....I'm going to guess it's going to be a moth but I can't seem to find it on internet. I have a caterpillar book at home and 3 other butterfly and moth books but can't seem to find it! Any ideas??? Also here is a small caterpillar I found on the deck and can't find this one either ! This small caterpillar is only about an inch long compared to the first one that is about 4 to 5 inches! I really love caterpillars and moths and have a black light up at night to attract some moths and am really enjoying it !! Thanks for any info !!
12 answers
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It looks like a hummingbird moth
Carol Pellman
on Aug 16, 2013
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really !!!! That's awesome if that's what it is!! At least that will give me a start of where to dig up info !!! Thanks Carol !!
Sheila Suarez
on Aug 16, 2013
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to me it looks like a tomato boore
Trish
on Aug 16, 2013
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Tomato Hornworm.
Patricia W
on Aug 16, 2013
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Tomato worm. It will eat all your tomatoes. Signs to look for are stripped leaves and partially eaten tomatoes on your vines and large brown droppings. My understanding is it is a small, white butterfly that produces them.
Arlene Murrell
on Aug 17, 2013
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No, don't harm it! Tomato hornworms have diagonal slash marks on their sides, and a pronounced fleshy horn-like appendage at their back end. This looks more like a Luna caterpillar (those gorgeous green Saturniid moths.) They have little bristly hairs which Tomato Hornworms lack. They can have very pale yellow stripes on their sides, but there is some variability in that. Here is a good picture: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/Insects/Luna%20Moth/welch-larva2.jpg Unfortunately, the slightly dark color and those white ovals on the front end of the caterpillar make me think it might have been parasitized (by a Tachinid fy). That would be sad.
Jennifer Pospichal
on Aug 17, 2013
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Oops, I forgot the brown one. It looks a lot like Schizura unicornis (yeah, a unicorn-- heh!) They generally have a band of green near the front. I can't see whether yours does, but if not, and if you don't think it's S. unicornis, it could be a closely related species. Caterpillars can be a bit variable in their coloring depending on their environment (and probably genetics, too). Another look-- yours seems to have a horizontal line, so maybe not unicornis, but I'd check out related species. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QiKRfBOZdIg/UDFzl0rlx8I/AAAAAAAADU8/IFVxRWjOsC0/s400/unicorn+cat.jpg
Jennifer Pospichal
on Aug 17, 2013
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Yep!! That sounds like a unicorn to me!!! I will have to look that up online ! I finally let the caterpillar go because I didn't know what to feed it but I still have the picture!!!!! I have one field guide on caterpillars and didn't see it in the whole book........wonder if I overlooked it now, LOL....I will now go back and check!!!! Thanks Jennifer!!
Sheila Suarez
on Aug 18, 2013
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well I've had a Luna Caterpillar before and I really don't think it's that one,.......someone told my sister they thought it was an Imperial Moth caterpillar but I looked those up in my books and I didn't think it was that either! I will look at the site you sent! Thank you so much!
Sheila Suarez
on Aug 18, 2013
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.....don't think it's a tomato worm either, had those before too......this one has too many hairs on it and the markings are different. I love these huge caterpillars! they are such a mystery! Thanks jlum !
Sheila Suarez
on Aug 18, 2013
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I think it's an achemon sphinx caterpillar http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2011/09/04/two-achemon-sphinx-caterpillars-and-a-zephyr-eyed-silkmoth-caterpillar/
Stephanie Council
on Apr 03, 2015
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Looks familiar
Idyllic Pursuit
on Apr 03, 2015
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