I just found this guy on my evening primrose. Could it be a Sphinx Moth Caterpillar?
Thanks for your help!!
Sphinx Moth Caterpillar, maybe?
Certainly looks like a White-Lined Sphinx Moth cat.
See this link for IDing:
http://www.birds-n-garden.com/white-lined_sphinx_hummingbird_moths.html
Becky, that's what I thought. Those are beautiful, too!! Thanks! Of course, Cori is freaking out now, not wanting her primrose to be a host plant. And, this plant is nothing but huge!! Maybe if I could just move it to another part of the plant, I can say it left. :)
Felicia - I can't be sure of the size, but your cat may be getting big enough soon to go into it's cocoon/chrysalis. They are really easy to hand-raise. Get a small cage or container. I use tulle with a rubberband for a lid over a plastic container for the bigger cats. (They can't escape that way.) Break off some of the leaves from the Primrose and add to the cage/container. I line the bottom of the container with a paper towel to make clean-up easier. Cori might enjoy watching this cat grow and morph into a moth! And that way it isn't going all over her plant and eating a piece here and a piece there making her plant look all chewed up. Just a suggestion.
That's a great idea, Becky. Will also have to put some dirt in the bottom of the container because these eclose underground. And, as it turns out, I've now spotted a second caterpillar -- and definitely will not tell Cori about it until we get everything we need for a container! :)
Felicia - Oh good! Take some photos if you can, too! We'd all love to see them!
I loved raising my moth cat a few months back. He was really cool looking. I put dirt in my container too, but he just rolled himself up in the leaves when he was morphing. And he looked dead for almost 3 days until he finally went into what actually looked like a chrysalis. It was the neatest thing. Here's the thread link to mine to maybe give you an idea of what to expect:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/709337/
(My cat was Tersa Sphinx Moth.)
UM .... and how BIG do these guys get??? We decided to just keep them outside on the evening primrose -- which was probably the best thing as they are hogs. :)
This message was edited Jun 29, 2007 6:57 PM
OMG!!! I just saw a cardinal grab one of the caterpillars and fly off!! I had no idea!!
OH YES! Cardinals LOVE caterpillars! Mine find Black Swallowtail cats a real delicacy like a tasty dessert! They've got those sharp bird eyes to find the cats too! Be careful or they will completely wipe your Spinx Moth cats out! Trust me ..... been there, done that! =:-O
Oh Felicia!
I'm sorry! That's so horrifying when that happens!!
Adrienne
My Condolences!!
I currently have two tomato hornworm cats burrowed into the soil in a pot in my butterfly enclosure. They are so cool looking that I don't have the heart to dispose of them. So of course they will no doubt be male and female and I will never eat another tomato....what we do for love.
ROFL, Karen! Soooooo true!!! :-D
If only we could get the birds to eat Japanese Beetles, then all would be great. :)