CLOSED: Caterpillar identification

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archiepelago New Orleans, LA Jul 22, 2007

I found the attached little guy eating my Pentas here in New Orleans this morning. He had two others with him. Yesterday I saw a similar one but he was more green. They all appear to be about 3 inches long. They appear to be planning to eat three medium sized bushes. They did the same thing last year but I did not catch them in the act and only had the empty Pentas to show. They just eat the leaves not the stems. They have ignored the adjacent Vincas (Periwinkles).



I thought it was a Palamedes swallowtail but the internet photos didn't quite match up. Your thoughts? Anyone?




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Post #3766226
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BlueGlancer South/Central, FL(Zone 9a) Jul 22, 2007

The Tersa Sphinx Moth feeds on pentas. (usually green or brown) Maybe that is what it is. : )
On my computer, your cat is purple. Was he that purple? Was the penta purple?

~Lucy

Post #3766357
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archiepelago New Orleans, LA Jul 22, 2007

Lucy:

I think you nailed it. The caterpillar is more grey/blue than purple and the pentas are white and red. But the other internet photos I found based upon your ID confirm as does the penta diet. Here's the website:

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/tersa_sphinx_hummingbird_moths.html

The wife says the pentas must be sacrificed as they are unusual moths......

Post #3766522
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BlueGlancer South/Central, FL(Zone 9a) Jul 23, 2007

Pretty interesting website, I'm gonna look around some more in it. : )

Hopefully, he won't eat all your pentas, just prune them alittle. : )

~Lucy

Post #3767410
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archiepelago New Orleans, LA Jul 23, 2007

Nope. The pentas are toast just like last year. A sequel to Eric Carle's, " The Very Hungry Caterpillar." I had this happen with my "Butterfly Bush." I thought it would draw adult butterflies but it never did. Then one morning I came out and it was covered with caterpillars.

Post #3769635
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BlueGlancer South/Central, FL(Zone 9a) Jul 23, 2007

You must have yummy flowers. lol : )

Speaking of flowers......I have a few to put in the ground today. That is, if I can pull them apart. I think all my petunia seeds germinated. Every last one of them. lol : )

~Lucy

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