CLOSED: Another one I've never seen - THAT IS HUGE!

ANOTHER one that I've never seen. . .
THAT IS HUGE!
Actually TWO OF THEM. . .3+ Inches long. . .
and they were eating the heck out of my Morning Glories.

What are these things?

Thanks,
Emma

Closer

Caught it!

Both of Them

Last Photo

My sympathies Emma, they look awful. Have no idea what they are but I hope you are able to rid yourself of them. Tried Bt??

Hi barksy,
I haven't used any chemicals yet. I'd like to know what the THING is first.

I thought it might be a Hummer Moth, but doesn't look anything like the larvae.

Stranger things have happened in Jacksonville *>

That is the caterpillar of the Pink-spotted Hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata): http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/acingula.htm
you will find a caterpillar image matching yours near the bottom of that page.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/8454/bgimage

It is also known as the Sweet Potato Hornworm

Hi Emma! I had a similar problem last year with my hibiscus, here's the thread, along with pics. Looks like the same badguy.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/635302/

They will become beautiful moths! They look like they will be pupating soon, can you spare some MGs a little bit longer?

Thanks everyone for you help.

I will post the photos Ken, and Thanks for the links and great information.

Strange that I've never seen this larvae before, because I DO have this moth that I call 'Hummer Moth'. Never have looked up the proper name. In fact, I believe I have two different kinds of Hummer Moths and will watch those more carefully this year for photos. I really do LOVE these guys.

I just checked on the larvae and it appears that one of them died and one is alive, so I put a Morning Glory leaf in the container that I have them in.

Can anyone tell me the best way to keep them alive [contained] and not chomping on my MG leaves???.
Then I can hopefully get some great photos if I can keep that one alive!

Let me know and Thanks,
Emma

You can feed him leaves from a sweet potato vine or Jimsonweed, plants from the Convolvulaceae or Solanaceae family.
I'm not exactly sure how he pupates but many moths will make a cocoon from leaf litter and bury about an inch in soil, and eclose in about 3 weeks.

I'm glad you're letting him live, they are such a pretty moth. Sorry about your Morning Glories.

Good luck Emma!

Thanks fly_girl. . .

Maybe I should find a larger type 'sort of' cage and put twigs and leaves in there so he can move around. I really would like to watch the process.

Thanks again. . .

Emma

Emma,

I replied to your d-mail. Keep feeding them leaves from the same morning glory they were eating. Some cats will not switch larval hosts and would rather die that eat anything different than what they have been eating.

Best to put them into a big container that offers air circulation. Put some shredded paper towels in one corner. When they are ready to pupate (form a cocoon) they will silk up pieces of the paper towels around themselves. Makes for a much cleaner cage and you don't have to worry about bacteria or cooties in the soil. Although if they were out in your garden they would have buried themselves under the soil, mulch and leaves.

Also just noticed the link for the silkmoths that Kennedy posted is the same one that has a photo of my green morph caterpillar. It's at the very bottom of Bill's page on the pink-spotted hawkmoth.

Oh...and the one that looks dead...might be on it's way to pupating. They often just lay there not moving and will turn a different color as the cocoon starts to form. If you tossed it out into your yard...might want to double check on it.

~ Cat

ps...here's a link to some photos of the cages and containers I use to raise caterpillars.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/557604373qPIWfi

This message was edited Jun 7, 2007 12:18 AM

Hi Cat,

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT ADVICE.

I just got them and put them into a plastic bin that is about 15" deep [no top] and stripped newspaper.
Will the newspaper work?
If not, I can shread some paper towels tomorrow with my shreader.
I put a couple of MG leaves, and a Hibiscus leaf in there for now until tomorrow when I can get more MG leaves.

AND, Thanks for letting me know to use the same MG leaves. I think I can remember which they were tomorrow.

The one that is for sure alive was latched on to the MG leaf that I had in the first container [which was the other half that he didn't eat last night], and the other was just 'still'. So, hopefully he isn't dead.
This is the very first time I have seen their larvae, and almost went nuts when I saw those huge THINGS chomping on my MG leaves.

I REALLY do like the HummerMoths and enjoy them during the summer, so I am going to like this project.

Also, I would like to get some great photos of them before I turn them loose!

THANKS AGAIN, CAT. . .

Emma

Here are more images of the Sphingini tribe:

AND, Bill Oehlke posted one of my photos, with my permission, on his site for Southeastern Texas
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/txsoutheasternsphlarvae.htm

This is the same Bill Oehlke that has the site that Ken listed above
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/acingula.htm

EmmaGrace